AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE ON UNGA HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000892 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL/MLGA, IO-RHS, EUR/PGI (JELDRIDGE), E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM PGOV AJ SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE ON UNGA HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTIONS REF: SECSTATE 116262 Classified By: Political-Economic Counselor Robert Garverick, for reaso ns 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C)On November 13 poloff delivered reftel demarche to Jala Ibrahimova of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office of International Security, which coordinates all UN votes for Azerbaijan. Ibrahimova stated that a final decision on Azerbaijan's votes on these resolutions was not yet made, and she would convey our thoughts to Deputy Minister Araz Azimov, who will make the decision on November 16 or 17. Post will report septel this decision. Ibrahimova said an abstention was possible on the resolutions on the DPRK and Burma/Myanmar, but not likely on the Iran resolution. Azerbaijan continues to believe that these issues are best dealt with on a bilateral basis. ¶2. (C) In addition, Ibrahimova conveyed Azerbaijan's long-standing displeasure with the U.S. and other Minsk Group co-chairs votes in the 2008 UNGA on Azerbaijan's resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh. Ibrahimova said they would be submitting another resolution in early 2010, and asked for U.S. support, although the draft of this resolution is not yet complete. (Note: Post is aware that Azerbaijan's delegation in New York has informally circulated a new draft to the Minsk Co-Chair countries. End Note.) ¶3. (C) Azerbaijan's attitude toward the Iran resolution is consistent with its established approach. Baku typically hews to the OIC line on Iran and in any case sees little advantage in provoking Tehran in international settings. It is unlikely that further efforts to change Azerbaijan's vote would pay off. LU