AZERBAIJAN: GOAJ'S "IRAN POINT MAN" ENDORSES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000275

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2019
TAGS: ECON ELTN PREL SNAR RU IR AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: GOAJ'S "IRAN POINT MAN" ENDORSES
OBAMA'S IRAN OUTREACH

REF: BAKU 227

Classified By: Ambassador Anne Derse, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) In an April 3 meeting with Ambassador, GOAJ Deputy
Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov warmly applauded President
Obama's and Secretary Clinton's outreach efforts to foreign
partners, including their commitment to increased
consultation on international issues. He praised President
Obama's Novruz message to the Iranian people, and said that
the GOAJ strongly supports USG proposals for direct dialogue
with Iran. He downplayed Azerbaijan President Aliyev's
recent visit to Tehran, and private meetings with two top
Iranian officials, which he portrayed as essentially empty
"protocol." Khalafov expressed grave concern over proposed
language changes to the State Appropriations bill that would
significantly restrict presidential authority to annually
waive Section 907 sanctions against Azerbaijan, and warned
that enactment of the amended language would seriously damage
U.S.-Azerbaijan relations. End Summary.

Meeting with Khalafov
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2. (C) The Ambassador on April 3 met with Deputy Foreign
Minister Khalaf Khalafov, Azerbaijan's long-standing "point
man" on Iranian and Caspian region issues, for an update
after President Aliyev's official visit to Iran (reftel).

Strong Support for USG-Iran "Direct Dialogue"
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3. (C) Khalafov said that the GOAJ is deeply appreciative of
the Obama administration's commitment to openness and
consultation with friends on critical issues. He portrayed
U.S.-Azerbaijan relations as closer than ever, asserting that
"we have the same goals (in the world),even if we sometimes
use different tactics."


4. (C) Khalafov applauded President Obama's Novruz greeting
to the Iranian people, and related statements of willingness
to hold respectful dialogue with the Iranian government. He
said that the GOAJ strongly desires an improved U.S.- Iranian
relationship, opining that this would reduce regional
tensions, promote economic cooperation, and reduce Russian
and Chinese influence in Iran. He stressed that the GOAJ
strongly supports the concept of direct USG-Iran dialogue and
contact as the best means of achieving these goals. Although
he noted that the road to such dialogue may be difficult, he
expressed the hope that the USG will nonetheless continue to
pursue this path, citing four advantages:

-- use of intermediary parties is inefficient, increases
opportunities for misunderstanding, and is susceptible to
abuse by the intermediary party;

-- direct dialogue over time promotes better mutual
understanding;

-- the more frequent, direct exposure Iranian officials have
to U.S. counterparts, the more likely their overall
confidence in the U.S. will increase, and their paranoia
about U.S. intentions will be reduced;

-- Clear U.S. openness to dialogue gains it points in world
opinion, even if the Iranian leadership's responses are
negative. This appearance will also strengthen friendly
governments in supporting U.S. policies, he said.

Aliyev in Tehran: Pursuing "Normal" Relations
--------------


5. (C) Khalafov acknowledged that President Aliyev had
separate, "one-on-one" meetings with President Ahmedinajad
and Supreme Leader Khameini during his March 11-12 visit to
Tehran, but claimed not to know the precise details of these
discussions. He opined that they were limited to bilateral
matters and were "mainly protocol." He opined that Aliyev
endorsed direct dialogue with the United States "because we

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always do," but otherwise did not discuss the United States:
"the Iranians aren't interested in talking to us about you."
He added that the GOAJ considers Aliyev's first day in Tehran
an "official visit," thereby finally repaying Ahmedinajad's
official visit to Baku in 2007.


6. (C) Khalafov called the Iranians "very difficult" to deal
with, and contended that the Iranian government treats the
large Iranian Azeri minority poorly. Nonetheless, he
stressed that for geographic and geopolitical reasons
Azerbaijan has no choice but to minimize conflict and pursue
correct and normal relations. He added that President
Aliyev's recent visit to Tehran should also be understood in
that context.

Concern Over Proposed Section 907 Amendment
--------------


7. (C) On a separate topic, Khalafov raised GOAJ concern
over revised language being proposed by members the House of
Representatives Armenia Caucus for incorporation into the
2010 State-Foreign Operations and Related Programs
Appropriations bill. The proposed language directs the
Department of State to remove all "official and unofficial
barriers" to travel or other direct contact between USG
personnel and the "Government of the Republic of
Nagorno-Karabakh." The proposed new language would also make
future presidential waivers of section 907 of the Freedom
Support Act dependent on presidential certification to
Congress that in the prior fiscal year Azerbaijani officials
had not used threatening pronouncements or rhetoric against
Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh. Khalafov underlined that
enactment of this new language would likely raise tensions in
the region and result in serious damage to our bilateral
relationship, and asked that the GOAJ's deep concern over the
implications of this amendment be relayed to Washington.


DERSE