Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAKU933
2009-12-02 08:06:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
AZERBAIJAN: WTO DEFIANCE CONTINUES; A LITTLE MORE
how-toVZCZCXRO4926 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHKB #0933 3360806 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 020806Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2106 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3701 RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 1904 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS BAKU 000933
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR D.STARKS
EEB/CBA FOR T.GILMAN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR C. MORROW AND P. BURKHEAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRA EINV EIND AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: WTO DEFIANCE CONTINUES; A LITTLE MORE
PATIENCE NEEDED
REF: A) STATE 115248 B) GENEVA 670 C) BAKU 635 D)
BAKU 696 E) BAKU 732
UNCLAS BAKU 000933
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR D.STARKS
EEB/CBA FOR T.GILMAN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR C. MORROW AND P. BURKHEAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRA EINV EIND AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: WTO DEFIANCE CONTINUES; A LITTLE MORE
PATIENCE NEEDED
REF: A) STATE 115248 B) GENEVA 670 C) BAKU 635 D)
BAKU 696 E) BAKU 732
1. (SBU) Embassy delivered Ref A WTO demarche to Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Mammadguliyev on November
25, 2009, outlining U.S. Government questions and comments
from the last Working Party meeting and copies of U.S.
bilateral presentations on market access. USTR had
previously described Azerbaijan's negotiating tactics in
Geneva (Ref B) as "defiance," and much of that tone continued
in our November 25 meeting with Mammadguliyev. The Deputy
Foreign Minister, who leads Azerbaijan's accession
negotiations, spent 30 minutes at the outset reiterating the
GOAJ's positions on developing country status and market
access, and he did not permit interruption. Mammadguliyev,
upon receiving the USTR letter, said "we will continue our
negotiations, and try to persuade, and present our arguments
to USTR."
2. (SBU) Econoff asked Mammadguliyev if the GOAJ might
consider compromising on its positions rather than continuing
to make the same arguments with repeated "persuasion."
Mammadguliyev was unyielding but insisted Azerbaijan's
interest in WTO accession was genuine. "We are serious," he
said. "If we were not serious, we would pull our
application. I think USTR is experienced with countries who
meet all the U.S. demands right away. But we want to be more
serious on this effort, and that takes time."
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Embassy previously recommended (ref E)
that USTR wait and see what Azerbaijan puts in its factual
summary and its revised market access offers (which
Mammadguliyev said would be ready by mid-December) before
making a decision on continued talks with Azerbaijan. We
repeat that recommendation. We believe it is possible - but
unlikely - that their offers will be substantially improved.
On the other hand, if improvement is negligible or
non-existent, it may be useful for USTR at that time to
advise the GOAJ that their application has been made dormant.
Such news from Washington would be a make-or-break moment
for the GOAJ: either shock would ensue and they would quickly
respond with a better offer, or the GOAJ would walk away,
allowing USTR to re-direct its energies toward more promising
applicants. The message might also force a political level
decision in Azerbaijan on WTO accession -- something that at
this point is still lacking in Baku. End Comment.
LU
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR D.STARKS
EEB/CBA FOR T.GILMAN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR C. MORROW AND P. BURKHEAD
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRA EINV EIND AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: WTO DEFIANCE CONTINUES; A LITTLE MORE
PATIENCE NEEDED
REF: A) STATE 115248 B) GENEVA 670 C) BAKU 635 D)
BAKU 696 E) BAKU 732
1. (SBU) Embassy delivered Ref A WTO demarche to Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmoud Mammadguliyev on November
25, 2009, outlining U.S. Government questions and comments
from the last Working Party meeting and copies of U.S.
bilateral presentations on market access. USTR had
previously described Azerbaijan's negotiating tactics in
Geneva (Ref B) as "defiance," and much of that tone continued
in our November 25 meeting with Mammadguliyev. The Deputy
Foreign Minister, who leads Azerbaijan's accession
negotiations, spent 30 minutes at the outset reiterating the
GOAJ's positions on developing country status and market
access, and he did not permit interruption. Mammadguliyev,
upon receiving the USTR letter, said "we will continue our
negotiations, and try to persuade, and present our arguments
to USTR."
2. (SBU) Econoff asked Mammadguliyev if the GOAJ might
consider compromising on its positions rather than continuing
to make the same arguments with repeated "persuasion."
Mammadguliyev was unyielding but insisted Azerbaijan's
interest in WTO accession was genuine. "We are serious," he
said. "If we were not serious, we would pull our
application. I think USTR is experienced with countries who
meet all the U.S. demands right away. But we want to be more
serious on this effort, and that takes time."
3. (SBU) COMMENT: Embassy previously recommended (ref E)
that USTR wait and see what Azerbaijan puts in its factual
summary and its revised market access offers (which
Mammadguliyev said would be ready by mid-December) before
making a decision on continued talks with Azerbaijan. We
repeat that recommendation. We believe it is possible - but
unlikely - that their offers will be substantially improved.
On the other hand, if improvement is negligible or
non-existent, it may be useful for USTR at that time to
advise the GOAJ that their application has been made dormant.
Such news from Washington would be a make-or-break moment
for the GOAJ: either shock would ensue and they would quickly
respond with a better offer, or the GOAJ would walk away,
allowing USTR to re-direct its energies toward more promising
applicants. The message might also force a political level
decision in Azerbaijan on WTO accession -- something that at
this point is still lacking in Baku. End Comment.
LU