AZERBAIJAN: RFI ON SECURITY DIALOGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000886 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, PM E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: RFI ON SECURITY DIALOGUE REF: A. STATE 112900 ¶B. BAKU 861 Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor J. Robert Garverick, Reason s 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) This cable responds to reftel A. Answers follow Reftel A sequence. A.) The United States and Azerbaijan have established a Security Dialogue, chaired by State and MFA at the Deputy Minister/Assistant Secretary level; and Bilateral Defense Consultations (BDC),at the Deputy Chief of General Staff/DASD level. B.) The November 4, 2009 Security Dialogue was the eleventh meeting in the dialogue's 12-year history. Post is unaware of a formal, binding coordinating mechanism. C.) The last Security Dialogue was held in Washington November 4, 2009. The last BDC was held 29-30 July 2009 in Washington. Both mechanisms are envisioned as annual events with the parties alternating as host, however neither meeting took place in 2008. D.) See answer A. The most recent meetings were chaired for the United States by A/S Shapiro and DASD Wallander; the Azerbaijani chairs were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Araz Azimov and General-Major Eyvaz Jafarov. E.) Of the two dialogues, the Bilateral Defense Consultations have more utility at present. The Security Dialogue is hobbled somewhat by political issues extraneous to the agenda and also by the non-constructive attitude of DFM Azimov. Reftel B refers. LU