Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10BAKU27
2010-01-13 13:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
AZERBAIJAN: POLOFF AND LES FACE HARASSMENT IN
how-toVZCZCXRO6893 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHKB #0027 0131342 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 131342Z JAN 10 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2251 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3763 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1551 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0972
UNCLAS BAKU 000027
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/PPD, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ASEC AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: POLOFF AND LES FACE HARASSMENT IN
NAKHCHIVAN
REF: BAKU 17
UNCLAS BAKU 000027
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/PPD, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ASEC AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: POLOFF AND LES FACE HARASSMENT IN
NAKHCHIVAN
REF: BAKU 17
1. (SBU) At 1100 local January 13, a group composed of
Poloff, a political LES and the DCM of the Norwegian Embassy
in Baku were harassed by an angry crowd while visiting the
village of Bananiyar in the autonomous exclave of Nakhchivan
to investigate the events reported in Reftel. On approaching
the village the private vehicle carrying the group was
confronted by a mob of approximately 50 people. Some of the
mob pounded on the car with their fists. Others shouted that
the diplomats should leave, that everything is fine in the
village, and that the United States should not support
Armenia, After POLOFF and the others exited the car, at
least one of the crowd grabbed the LES. Plainclothes
observers, likely from the local security service, took no/no
action. No/no uniformed police were in the vicinity.
2. (SBU) After about ten minutes the group departed Bananiyar
en route Abregunus (spelling approximate) village to meet
with a Bananiyar resident who claimed that the crowd was not
made up of Bananiyar residents. A contingent from the crowd
followed them for the five-minute trip to the second village
and continued the harassment. The group shortly departed for
Nakhchivan city, the local capital.
3. (SBU) At 1600 local POLOFF and the Norwegian DCM met with
Ali Alizade, head of the "MFA" of Nakhchivan, to protest the
incident. Alizade was unapologetic, claiming that the crowd
must have formed spontaneously to protest the false reports
that have appeared in the media about the Reftel events. The
Norwegian DCM delivered a sharp protest and blunt reminder on
his Ambassador's instructions of the duty of OSCE members to
monitor each others' human rights performance and to accept
such monitoring by fellow OSCE members. The Norwegian
Ambassador plans to demarche MFA personally on 14 January;
Charge will also personally protest the incident to the
Presidential Administration 14 January. Poloff, Political
LES and the Norwegian DCM are returning to Baku per their
original plan in the late evening of 13 January.
LU
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/PPD, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ASEC AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: POLOFF AND LES FACE HARASSMENT IN
NAKHCHIVAN
REF: BAKU 17
1. (SBU) At 1100 local January 13, a group composed of
Poloff, a political LES and the DCM of the Norwegian Embassy
in Baku were harassed by an angry crowd while visiting the
village of Bananiyar in the autonomous exclave of Nakhchivan
to investigate the events reported in Reftel. On approaching
the village the private vehicle carrying the group was
confronted by a mob of approximately 50 people. Some of the
mob pounded on the car with their fists. Others shouted that
the diplomats should leave, that everything is fine in the
village, and that the United States should not support
Armenia, After POLOFF and the others exited the car, at
least one of the crowd grabbed the LES. Plainclothes
observers, likely from the local security service, took no/no
action. No/no uniformed police were in the vicinity.
2. (SBU) After about ten minutes the group departed Bananiyar
en route Abregunus (spelling approximate) village to meet
with a Bananiyar resident who claimed that the crowd was not
made up of Bananiyar residents. A contingent from the crowd
followed them for the five-minute trip to the second village
and continued the harassment. The group shortly departed for
Nakhchivan city, the local capital.
3. (SBU) At 1600 local POLOFF and the Norwegian DCM met with
Ali Alizade, head of the "MFA" of Nakhchivan, to protest the
incident. Alizade was unapologetic, claiming that the crowd
must have formed spontaneously to protest the false reports
that have appeared in the media about the Reftel events. The
Norwegian DCM delivered a sharp protest and blunt reminder on
his Ambassador's instructions of the duty of OSCE members to
monitor each others' human rights performance and to accept
such monitoring by fellow OSCE members. The Norwegian
Ambassador plans to demarche MFA personally on 14 January;
Charge will also personally protest the incident to the
Presidential Administration 14 January. Poloff, Political
LES and the Norwegian DCM are returning to Baku per their
original plan in the late evening of 13 January.
LU