Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAKU256
2009-04-02 11:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

AZERBAIJAN: YOUTH ASK U.S. HELP IN EDUCATION,

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ 
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FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0985
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3317
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
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RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1297
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000256 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: YOUTH ASK U.S. HELP IN EDUCATION,
INFORMATION

Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000256

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/CARC AND DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: YOUTH ASK U.S. HELP IN EDUCATION,
INFORMATION

Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On March 31 the Ambassador held a discussion
with leaders of Azerbaijani youth groups. While these young
people agree that their compatriots are largely apathetic
towards politics and the referendum reflected a clear turn
away from democratic reform, they have many ideas on ways to
bring democratic values to Azerbaijan. Several guests
stressed that the current regime lacks a unifying ideology,
and worried that without more focus on education uninformed
versions of religion are filling this void. They asked the
Ambassador for more USG programming on education (both in
Azerbaijan and through exchanges) and for the USG to sponsor
more fora for discussion both, live and in the media. END
SUMMARY


2. (SBU) On March 31 the Ambassador hosted a dinner for
twelve leaders of Azerbaijani youth groups. The guests were
all under 35 years old, either current students or recent
graduates of bachelor's and master's degree programs. About
half the guests spoke English and four had studied in the
United States through USG-sponsored programs. Eight of the
groups have recently decided to join together in a coalition
to pursue common aims.

Problem: Azerbaijan's Closed Political Environment
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Zaur Akbar, founder of the Youth Club Public Union,
began the discussion by stating that while all young people
suffer from Azerbaijan's corruption, poor education system,
and bad elections, the young leaders present have all stepped
up to combat these problems. Rashad Shirin of the Alumni
Network (AN) stated that the March referendum was a turning
point for many young people, who now see no hope for reform
in their country and simply want to leave. He said, however,
that the new U.S. administration presents an opportunity for
the security situation in the entire region to soften and
with this softening it is possible for democratic rhetoric to
gow.


4. (C) Togrul Alakbarov of European Student Forum Baku
stated that many young people have a "I don't care" ideology

and are very passive about politics. In the regions, he
said, due to poor education and lack of a national ideology
many people receive their information from self-appointed
mullahs, and he worries Azerbaijan may become similar to
Pakistan or Iran. Along similar lines, Gultakin Ramazanova
of the Youth Club Public Union stated that women's issues are
the greatest problem in Azerbaijan. She said issues of
domestic violence, early marriage, and low education for
women are enormous, citing a rural statistic that when
students begin school 50% of them are girls but by graduation
only 5% are girls.

Solution 1: U.S. Help in Education, Information
-------------- --


5. (C) Rashad Shirin proposed that the solution to these
problems was investment in promoting good ideas through civil
society and education programs. In a statement that received
approval from several other speakers, Shirin asked for the
opening of an American university in Azerbaijan, which would
provide a liberal education without the corruption found in
Azerbaijani universities. Adnan Hajizade of "Ol" network
said that this program could start small, with a
U.S.-sponsored forum where people who had studied in the U.S.
could teach others who want to learn. Jeyhun Karamov of the
American Alumni Association agreed, and also asked the USG to
use its influence with the GOAJ to make the GOAJ study abroad
programs more accessible, especially to those in the regions.


6. (C) Vafa Jafarova of Dalga Youth Movement asked for USG
assistance in creating space for information exchange. She
explained that she had pictures from the referendum of
ballots marked "no" which were placed in the trash bin
outside a polling station, but that no newspaper would agree
to publish them. She is therefore posting the photos on
youtube. She said that young people needed space to discuss,
both in person and in the media.


BAKU 00000256 002 OF 002


Solution 2: Networking and a Positive National Ideology
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Ilaha Rafaelgyzy explained that Azerbaijan needs new
leadership both in the government and the opposition, and
that this new power can come from youth who are educated
abroad or part of a youth group. She explained that it was
time for change to come from within Azerbaijan, not just from
international supporters. Emin Milli of AN expanded on this
idea, explaining that a network of educated young
professionals had to be ready for the moment when the current
power system collapses, much as the leaders of the 1918-1920
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic were ready when the Russian
Empire collapsed. He said that young people cannot change
the system now, as "the regime has all the money and power",
but by creating a network of progressive people with
connections abroad, they will be ready when the current
system "collapses from its own hollowness." When asked about
whether change was possible from inside the government, Milli
replied that the members of the younger generation who take
government positions are not being promoted past a certain
level. Shirin added that the network of corruption is so
strong in Azerbaijan that it is impossible to advance inside
the system without joining it.


8. (C) Milli also stressed that young people need to be
proud of something in their country in order to bring change,
and that the current system provides little in the way of
ideology. He proposed spreading information about the 1918-20
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) as a part of
Azerbaijan's past that its people can look to for
inspiration. Milli, Shirin, and others have held a series of
fora on the ADR in western parliaments in order to raise
awareness of Azerbaijan, and are looking to hold a similar
one in the U.S. Congress.

COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) While these young leaders are in agreement that
Azerbaijan is headed down an anti-democratic path, they are
not pessimistic on the prospects for long-term change, if the
right investments are made. They readily acknowledged that
they and their compatriots hold the ultimate responsibility
for bringing liberal democracy to Azerbaijan. They made
clear they are ready to engage and be active. At the same
time, they underscored the importance of tangible support
from the international community for their efforts, asking
outright for an increase in the level of U.S. and western
engagement with the country at the grassroots level. More
USG programming aimed at youth, education, community
development and governance will help sustain and expand the
network of liberal-minded professionals these young people
are attempting to build, and will help lay the foundation for
Azerbaijan's path to reform over the long term.
DERSE