Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
06BAKU1001 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MINISTER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: During the Ambassador's July 7 introductory call, Minister of Defense General-Colonel Safar Abiyev stressed that the U.S.-Azerbaijani relationship is both strategic and special and that U.S. assistance has allowed Azerbaijan to integrate closer with the West. The Minister was p [...] |
2006-07-11 13:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MASS PINR AM AJ |
06BAKU1010 | EUR DAS MATT BRYZA AND TURKISH ENERGY ENVOY MEET [...] (C) SUMMARY. EUR DAS Matthew J. Bryza and Turkish MFA Special Energy Envoy Ambassador Mithat Balkan met with Elshad Nasirov, Vice President (marketing) of Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) on June 7 to discuss development of a new "Southern Corridor" to help Europe diversify gas supplies [...] |
2006-07-12 13:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET EFIN PREL KZ RU TR |
06BAKU1011 | A NEW ENERGY AGENDA: EUR DAS MATT BRYZA AND [...] (C) SUMMARY. On June 6, EUR DAS Matthew Bryza and Turkish Energy Envoy Ambassador Mithat Balkan met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to discuss a new partnership on energy issues, particularly on bringing Azerbaijani gas to Europe. Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said that Az [...] |
2006-07-12 13:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PREL AJ KZ RU TR |
06BAKU1012 | EUR DAS MATT BRYZA AND TURKISH ENERGY ENVOY MEET [...] (C) SUMMARY. EUR DAS Matthew J. Bryza and Turkish Special Energy Envoy Ambassador Mithat Balkan met with Rovnag Abdullayev, President of Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) on June 7 to discuss the southern gas corridor proposal. Abdullayev said Azerbaijan is grateful for U.S. support over [...] |
2006-07-12 13:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET EFIN AJ KZ RU TR |
06BAKU1019 | AZERBAIJAN SETS MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS FOR OCTOBER 6 [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced that municipal elections will be held on October 6. Three types of elections will be held: re-run elections in the municipalities that participated in the 2004 elections in which the results were invalidated (141 municip [...] |
2006-07-13 12:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1022 | AZERBAIJAN: COURT SENTENCES YENI FIKIR LEADERS TO [...] (U) Yeni Fikir Deputy Said Nuriyev reported that in a late day hearing on July 12, the Court of Grave Crimes found the three Yeni Fikir leaders guilty of attempting a coup d'etat under Article 278 of the criminal code. Presiding Judge Tofiq Pashayev sentenced Yeni Fikir leader Ruslan Bashirli t [...] |
2006-07-13 14:38:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1034 | AZERBAIJAN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR EUR/ACE JERRY [...] Embassy Baku grants country clearance to Director Humanitarian Programs Jerry Oberndorfer to travel to Baku 19-20 August 2006. Control officer will be Economic Officer David McCormick. Mr. McCormick can be reached at the Embassy at: Email: McCormickDL@State.Gov Mobile: (994) (50) 2 [...] |
2006-07-14 13:24:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID AJ |
06BAKU1042 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON FINANCE MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her July 11 introductory meeting with Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov, Ambassador Derse raised the importance of WTO accession, the GOAJ's transparency and anticorruption efforts and the importance of non-oil sector development and effective management of oil revenues. She [...] |
2006-07-17 12:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD ENRG EPET PREL AJ IR RU |
06BAKU1044 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON INFORMING PARTNERS ON THE [...] (U) Poloff delivered ref points to MFA Americas Desk Officer Elchin Bashirov. Poloff emphasized that since Azerbaijan is a member of the United Nations Human Rights council, the US Government takes seriously Azerbaijan's commitment to work constructively on human rights issues and, for this [...] |
2006-07-17 13:24:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | CU PGOV PHUM PREL AJ |
06BAKU1076 | AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador July 11 hosted a breakfast with representatives from the IMF, EBRD, ADB and World Bank to review recent developments on international assistance to Azerbaijan and the status of the economy. The Ambassador explained U.S. economic priorities, highlighting the importa [...] |
2006-07-21 07:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EAID PREL AJ |
06BAKU1082 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MINISTER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: In her introductory call on Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov, the Ambassador discussed judicial reform, the status of a joint USG-GOAJ developed legal database, the registration process for NGOs, and prison reform. Mammadov outlined the MOJ's recent progress, [...] |
2006-07-24 06:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCRM KJUS SOCI AJ |
06BAKU1083 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MINISTER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her introductory call on Minister of Internal Affairs Ramil Usubov, the Ambassador discussed Azerbaijan's cooperation with the U.S. in law enforcement and the effort against trafficking in persons. She emphasized the need for the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to adhere to [...] |
2006-07-24 06:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCOR KCRM SOCI AJ |
06BAKU1084 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MINISTER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: In her introductory call on Minister of Justice Fikrat Mammadov, the Ambassador discussed judicial reform, the status of a joint USG-GOAJ developed legal database, the registration process for NGOs, and prison reform. Mammadov outlined the MOJ's recent progress, [...] |
2006-07-24 06:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCRM KJUS SOCI AJ |
06BAKU1085 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MINISTER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her introductory call on Minister of Internal Affairs Ramil Usubov, the Ambassador discussed Azerbaijan's cooperation with the U.S. in law enforcement and the effort against trafficking in persons. She emphasized the need for the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) to adhere to [...] |
2006-07-24 06:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCOR KCRM SOCI AJ |
06BAKU1086 | AMBASSADOR'S LUNCH WITH EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE [...] (C) During a July 20 lunch meeting with the Ambassador, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby said that the European Action Plan for Azerbaijan has basically been negotiated, and will likely be adopted by the Council in mid-October. The money will come slightly later, [...] |
2006-07-24 06:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PBTS EAID AM AJ |
06BAKU1091 | AZERBAIJAN: P5+1 INCENTIVE PACKAGE DEMARCHE [...] (C) Poloff delivered ref A demarche to MFA Americas Desk officer Ilgar Mukhtarov July 24. Mukhtarov told Poloff that the GOAJ was concerned that the Israeli-Lebanese conflict might distract the international community's attention from the P5 1 incentive package negotiations and therefore inter [...] |
2006-07-25 13:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KNNP IR EU AORC AJ |
06BAKU1108 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON MINISTER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her introductory call on the Minister of Youth and Sport Azad Rahimov, the Ambassador discussed the importance of people-to-people exchanges and cultural diplomacy targeted at youth. Rahimov shared his concern for school-age children, noting that children who feel empty are mor [...] |
2006-07-28 12:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL SCUL SOCI ELAB KISL AJ |
06BAKU1109 | ALLEGED COUP PLOT DETAINEES TRANSFERRED TO STATE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Detained former minister Farhad Aliyev and former presidential aide Akif Muradverdiyev were transferred out of the Ministry of National Security (MNS) detention facility into separate state-run medical facilities operated by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) over the past week, report [...] |
2006-07-28 13:30:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1117 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON CAUCASUS MUSLIM [...] (C) In a July 21 introductory call on the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board Sheikh Pashazade, the Ambassador discussed the bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Azerbaijan. She highlighted Azerbaijan's leading role in promoting religious tolerance and asked how the U.S. could best re [...] |
2006-07-29 10:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KIRF KISL AJ |
06BAKU1124 | AZERBAIJAN: HAJI MAMMADOV KIDNAPPING RING TRIAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: The trial of former Chief of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) Criminal Investigation Division Haji Mammadov and his 26-member gang began on July 20. The group is charged under 50 articles of the Criminal Code, including kidnapping and manslaughter. Mammadov has plead guilty t [...] |
2006-08-01 05:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SOCI KCOR KCRM KJUS AJ |
06BAKU1134 | AZERBAIJAN: UN HIGH LEVEL DIALOGUE ON [...] (U) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA Americas Desk Officer Elchin Bashirov on August 1. Poloff left the talking points as a nonpaper. Bashirov did not have any substantive comment on the High Level Dialogue, but said that he would brief the MFA leadership and inform Poloff of the MFA's [...] |
2006-08-02 08:58:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL EAID PREF SMIG UNGA AJ |
06BAKU1140 | AZERBAIJAN: UN INTERNATIONAL COMPACT WITH IRAQ [...] (U) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA Americas Desk Officer Elchin Bashirov on August 1. Poloff left the text of the Iraq-UN statement and the U.S. statement as a nonpaper. Bashirov did not have any substantive comment on the International Compact, but said that he would brief the MFA le [...] |
2006-08-02 12:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EAID KDEM KISL IZ AJ |
06BAKU1144 | AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH STATE BORDER SERVICE [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a July 18 meeting with the Ambassador, State Border Services (SBS) Commander Guliyev described regional conflict as the main source of tensions along Azerbaijan,s land borders and said narcotics trafficking and illegal migration are also a problem. He highlighted the USG-SB [...] |
2006-08-03 07:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM KNNP EAID RU IR AJ KZ TX |
06BAKU1146 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON SPEAKER OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her introductory call on Speaker of Parliament Ogtay Asadov, the Ambassador discussed the importance of Parliament in democratic reform, the need for Members of Parliament (MPs) to be provided with sufficient resources, and the importance of communication between MPs and their [...] |
2006-08-03 08:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAID AJ |
06BAKU1147 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL AT NATIONAL BANK OF [...] SUMMARY: During the Ambassador's July 28 introductory call on National Baku of Azerbaijan (NBA) President Elman Rustamov, Rustamov said Azerbaijan's year-to-date growth hovered around 40%, while inflation over the last six months was nearly six percent. Rustamov reviewed the progress that A [...] |
2006-08-03 10:15:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN ETRD ENRG EPRT PREL AJ IR RU |
06BAKU1153 | EUROPEAN ACTION PLAN FOR AZERBAIJAN MOVING FORWARD [...] (C) Summary: German and Finnish diplomats separately confirmed that Azerbaijan has completed its European Action Plan (EAP). Previous hold-ups over EAP language regarding Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and Azerbaijan's August 2005 commercial flight to Northern Cyprus have been resolved [...] |
2006-08-04 11:34:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON EAID PBTS AJ |
06BAKU1156 | IBRAHIMOGLU LEADS 70 PERSON PROTEST AT ISRAELI [...] (C) Former Juma Mosque Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu led a group of roughly 70 - 80 in an August 3 nonviolent protest of Israeli actions in the Middle East in front of the Israeli Embassy. Ibrahimoglu told Emboff that police officers arrived late and largely permitted the group to demonstrate without [...] |
2006-08-04 14:00:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KISL ASEC CASC IS LE AJ |
06BAKU1163 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY ROUNDTABLE WITH [...] (U) SUMMARY: In a July 31 roundtable meeting, nine of Azerbaijan's leading human rights activists told the Ambassador that Azerbaijan's elections in 2003 and 2005 were not free and fair, citing bias in the composition of the election commissions as part of the problem. The NGO leaders stressed [...] |
2006-08-08 10:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1164 | AZERBAIJANI PUBLIC BEGINS TO DEBATE MINSK GROUP [...] (C) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: In the weeks since the OSCE Minsk Group core principles for a settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict have become public, reaction in Azerbaijan has shifted from official protestations of surprise and knee-jerk sloganeering to a more nuanced discussion of the merit [...] |
2006-08-08 10:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ |
06BAKU1176 | AZERBAIJAN: RAISING THE ECONOMIC DIALOGUE AND [...] (U) This is an action request - see paragraph 12. 2. (C) It is strongly in the U.S. interest of securing Azerbaijan as a reliable regional and global partner on critical U.S. interests, including security, energy and human rights, to support economic reform as an essential part of our broad [...] |
2006-08-10 07:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD EAID AJ IR RU |
06BAKU1182 | AZERBAIJAN: OPPOSITION EDITOR DETAINED, REPORTEDLY [...] (SBU) On August 9, Shahin Agabayli, the editor of a small opposition newspaper, was detained, apparently to compel his appearance in court. Agabayli had failed to appear in court to defend libel charges brought against his paper, Milli Yol, by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). Embassy sou [...] |
2006-08-10 13:25:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM PINR AJ |
06BAKU1189 | PARLIAMENT'S INDEPENDENT AND OPPOSITION MPS WORK [...] (C) SUMMARY: Two proposals for changes to the number required for a faction in Azerbaijan's Parliament are on the horizon. Under the Azerbaijani Parliament's internal regulations, a party or faction must have 25 Members of Parliament (MPs) in order to originate draft legislation. A faction is [...] |
2006-08-11 10:48:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR AJ |
06BAKU1193 | BP AND STATOIL UPDATE EUR DAS BRYZA ON CASPIAN GAS [...] (C) In an August 1 meeting, executives from BP and Statoil briefed EUR DAS Bryza on current prospects for increasing Caspian gas exports to European markets. BP and Statoil reported that delays in completion of the Turkish segment of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) will force diversion of [...] |
2006-08-11 13:04:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET ECON PREL PINR RU GG AJ |
06BAKU1194 | AZERBAIJANI HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST SEEKS CIVIL [...] (C) Summary: In an August 8 meeting with Poloff, prominent Azerbaijani human rights activist Arzu Abdullayeva said that she found Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arkadi Gukasyan to be open to a civil society dialogue between the Karabakhi and Azerbaijani communities. Abdullayeva led a delegation of re [...] |
2006-08-11 13:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ |
06BAKU1198 | SCENESETTER FOR CODEL LUGAR'S AUGUST 20-22 VISIT [...] (U) Chairman Lugar, on behalf of Ambassador Derse who looks forward to greeting you on arrival, I warmly welcome you to Baku next week. President Aliyev's April 28 meeting with President Bush at the White House was a resounding success in advancing the bilateral relationship, and the relations [...] |
2006-08-14 05:16:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON EAID MARR AJ |
06BAKU1202 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJAN ON UNSC [...] No summary [...] |
2006-08-14 12:46:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PTER MOPS UN UNSC IS LE AJ |
06BAKU1208 | AZERBAIJAN FALL LEGISLATURE PREVIEW: POTENTIAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: Although several weeks remain until the October 1 start of the fall session of Parliament, Members of Parliament (MPs) are already full of speculation about potential upcoming draft legislation. Two new draft laws, on education and on political parties, are expected to be on the a [...] |
2006-08-15 12:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1211 | AIOC PRESIDENT BRIEFS ON SHAH DENIZ AND BTC [...] (C) SUMMARY: AIOC President Woodward briefed U.S. and UK emboffs August 15 on Shah Deniz and BTC operations. Woodward noted that Shah Deniz first gas could be delayed until October, with a official celebrations possible November 9-10 in Baku. The GOAJ, according to Woodward, is still interes [...] |
2006-08-17 04:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET PREL IR AJ KZ RU |
06BAKU1215 | IRANIAN AMBASSADOR SPEAKS OUT ON THE MIDDLE EAST [...] (U) In recent statements - notably on widely watched independent ANS Television - outspoken Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar Suleymani repeatedly accused Israel of using excessive force and criticized the United States for its support of this "injustice" in the conflict between Israel a [...] |
2006-08-17 10:52:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PTER PGOV KDEM PINR IR AJ PREL IS LE KPAO |
06BAKU1231 | AZERBAIJAN: MEDIA FREEDOM TRENDS RAISE [...] (C) Summary: The past six months have seen the emergence of disturbing trends in Azerbaijan's media climate. Senior GOAJ officials, most prominently the Minister of the Interior, have sued numerous journalists for civil and criminal libel in response to criticism in the print press. These law [...] |
2006-08-18 13:30:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1242 | UPDATE ON CASPIAN DELIMITATION: NOTHING NEW IN [...] (U) On 10 August, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Representative for Caspian Issues Mehdi Safari traveled to Baku for discussions with the GOAJ on the legal status of the Caspian Sea and the possibility of holding the next conference of littoral states in Baku. In addition, accord [...] |
2006-08-22 05:14:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ETRD IR PBTS PGOV PREL AJ TX |
06BAKU1247 | CHAIRMAN LUGAR AND ENERGY EXECUTIVES DISCUSS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Chairman Lugar held a breakfast roundtable with international energy executives August 21 to discuss Azerbaijan's growing role as an international energy provider, the challenges facing the country as oil revenues increase and the GOAJ grapples with sustainable development. The ex [...] |
2006-08-22 12:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EPET ENRG AJ IR RU KZ |
06BAKU1248 | CHAIRMAN LUGAR'S CALL ON SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: During Chairman Lugar's August 21 call on Speaker of Parliament Ogtay Asadov, the Speaker outlined the U.S.- Azerbaijani bilateral relationship, and spoke highly of the work of the U.S.- Azerbaijani Inter-Parliamentary Working Group. Chairman Lugar shared his experience in the U.S. [...] |
2006-08-22 13:11:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1260 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV LAYS OUT STRATEGIC VISION FOR [...] (C) Summary: In an August 21 office call and subsequent dinner, President Aliyev laid out for SFRC Chairman Lugar his strategic vision for Azerbaijan's sustainable development, including plans for infrastructure improvements, investment in the non-oil sectors, poverty reduction and environmen [...] |
2006-08-24 12:25:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ETRD KDEM PHUM AMGT ABLD AJ |
06BAKU1266 | AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION POLITICIAN TAKES ON ISSUE [...] (C) Summary: Leader of the opposition Azerbaijan National Independence Party (ANIP) Etibar Mammadov plans to raise awareness of the plight of Iran's ethnic Azeri community. With hopes of raising the issue on both the national and international levels, Mammadov will hold an international confe [...] |
2006-08-25 12:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR PHUM KDEM IR AJ |
06BAKU1267 | FARHAD ALIYEV'S WIFE CLAIMS AUTHORITIES SEEK [...] (C) In an August 23 meeting with Poloff, Sabina Aliyeva, wife of detained ex-minister Farhad Aliyev, alleged that mid-level GOAJ officials have been pressuring Farhad Aliyev to sign a confession in return for being pardoned. Aliyeva claims that her husband has rejected the confession in part b [...] |
2006-08-25 12:27:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1268 | AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER "DOES NOT RULE OUT" [...] (C) In an August 23 telephone conversation with the Ambassador, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that he had discussed the UNIFIL mission with Jordanian officials (King Abdullah II paid an official visit to Azerbaijan August 22-23). The Jordanians, he said, do not want to [...] |
2006-08-25 12:54:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL LE AJ |
06BAKU1269 | AZERBAIJAN: SEPTEMBER 2007 BAKU CONSENSUS [...] (SBU) Copenhagen Business School Professor and Director for the Copenhagen Consensus Center Bjorn Lomborg and UNDP Head Marco Borsotti briefed Ambassador Derse August 24 on the planned September 2007 Baku Consensus conference organized by Lomborg. The Baku Consensus will be modeled on the May [...] |
2006-08-28 04:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL EFIN ETRD AJ |
06BAKU1270 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT ALIYEV RALLIES HIS [...] (SBU): Summary: The GOAJ hosted its second Chiefs of Mission conference with more than 40 Ambassadors meeting in Baku the week of August 14. President Aliyev encouraged the diplomats to remain flexible and reactive to processes and events taking place in and around Azerbaijan. Aliyev also ca [...] |
2006-08-28 11:50:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR AJ AM |
06BAKU1272 | FIRST LADY MEHRIBAN ALIYEVA PLANS U.S. VISIT THIS [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 4. 2. (SBU) During an August 28 lunch meeting with the Ambassador, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva said that neither she nor President Aliyev will travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. She said that President Aliyev has other commi [...] |
2006-08-29 03:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR KPAO SCUL AJ |
06BAKU1274 | BP QUIETLY LAUNCHES MACROECONOMIC MODELING UNIT IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: BP has quietly launched an intensive effort to help the Government of Azerbaijan better manage its anticipated billions of dollars in energy revenue. After years of discussions, the GOAJ agreed to place a BP-funded macroeconomic modeling unit at the State Oil Fund (SOFAZ). BP hop [...] |
2006-08-29 04:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ENRG PREL PGOV PINR AJ |
06BAKU1279 | IDP COMMUNITY SPEAKS OUT ON N-K NEGOTIATIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: On August 24, Poloff met with an IDP community that lives in abandoned train cars just outside the southern Azerbaijani city of Imishli. Although one man insisted that the only way to settle the N-K conflict is through war, most members of the community remain hopeful that a peace [...] |
2006-08-29 12:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREF PREL PBTS PHUM KDEM AM AJ |
06BAKU1283 | AZERBAIJAN: PSI POINTS DELIVERED; MFA REQUESTS [...] (U) This is an action request. See para 3. 2. (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel non-paper to Vugar Gurbanov and Mahur Gasimov of the International Security Division of the Azerbaijani MFA on August 28. Citing a recent speech by Undersecretary for Arms Control Robert Joseph on PSI and the e [...] |
2006-08-30 11:59:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP MNUC PARM PREL AJ |
06BAKU1288 | SYRIA/IRAN ARMS EMBARGO DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche on UNSCR 1701 to Vugar Gurbanov and Mahur Gasimov of the International Security Division at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 28, 2006. Poloff emphasized that we were sharing this information in response to Azerbaijani FM Mammadyarov' [...] |
2006-08-30 14:08:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | IR LE MARR MOPS PREL SY XG AJ |
06BAKU1289 | AZERBAIJAN AND THE OIC [...] (C) Poloff delivered REF A points to Vugar Gurbanov and Mahur Gasimov of the of International Security Division of the Azerbaijani MFA on August 28. Gurbanov called Poloff on August 29 to follow up, and said that the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) proposal to open an office in Bagh [...] |
2006-08-31 10:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PREL PGOV PHUM AJ IZ |
06BAKU1295 | AID COUNTRY COORDINATOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL AT [...] (SBU) USAID COUNTRY COORDINATOR PAID AN INTRODUCTORY CALL ON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE OIL FUND (SOFAZ), SHAHMAR MOVSUMOV, AUGUST 7. MOVSUMOV OUTLINED THE PLANNED INTERNAL REORGANIZATION OF SOFAZ BASED ON A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED BY MID-FALL. HE ALSO DISCUSSED THE [...] |
2006-08-31 12:05:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ETRD ENRG EPET PREL AJ IR RU |
06BAKU1301 | AZERBAIJAN: DFM BRIEFS DIP CORPS ON OCCUPIED [...] (U) Sensitive but Unclassified, Protect Accordingly. 2. (SBU) SUMMARY: At a September 1 briefing for the Baku diplomatic corps, DFM Araz Azimov explained GOAJ reasons for its UNGA draft resolution concerning the occupied territories' fires. He said Azerbaijan's revised draft resolution pre [...] |
2006-09-01 13:07:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PBTS PREL PGOV AM AJ |
06BAKU1315 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT ALIYEV REQUESTS ADDITIONAL [...] (U) This is an action request; please see paragraph 4. 2. (C) Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadayarov told the Ambassador on September 7 that it would be an "honor and a privilege" for Azerbaijan to participate in the roundtable with President Bush on Natural Resources and Social Developm [...] |
2006-09-07 12:04:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR SENV UNGA AJ |
06BAKU1316 | AZERBAIJAN: FM MAMMADYAROV SAYS DUE TO VOTE SWAP, [...] (C) In a September 7 phone conversation with Ambassador, FM Mammadyarov said that, on the Venezuela/Guatemala UNSC question, the GOAJ had in fact long ago traded its vote to Venezuela in exchange for Venezuela's vote for Azerbaijan for the new Human Rights Council. Venezuela did in fact vote f [...] |
2006-09-07 12:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PGOV AJ |
06BAKU1327 | AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH MINISTER OF EMERGENCY [...] (C) Summary: During the Ambassador's August 28 courtesy call on Minister of Emergency Situations Kammaladdin Heydarov, Heydarov explained the difficulty of coordinating the various formerly independent agencies that were brought together to form the MES eight months ago. He requested help with [...] |
2006-09-11 12:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAGR KFLU PGOV PREL TBIO PINR AJ |
06BAKU1343 | AZERBAIJAN: FIRST LADY MEHRIBAN ALIYEVA REQUESTS [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. 2. (SBU) Deputy Foreign Minister (and former Azerbaijan Ambassador to the U.S.) Hafiz Pashayev, who is assisting First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva in planning her trip to the U.S. this fall/winter, told the Ambassador that the trip will have [...] |
2006-09-13 09:01:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PINR KPAO SCUL AJ |
06BAKU1367 | THE CHANGING ROLE OF ISLAMIC RELIGIOSITY IN [...] (S/NF) Summary. Fifteen years after independence, Islamic religiosity, while far from widespread, is on the rise in Azerbaijan. This slow but steady growth of religious observance stems from two factors: a natural rediscovery of Azerbaijan's Muslim religious heritage, and active proselytizing [...] |
2006-09-19 05:16:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PHUM KDEM KISL IR AJ |
06BAKU1372 | NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SOUTH AZERBAIJAN CONFERENCE [...] (C) Summary: The National Movement of South Azerbaijan held its first-ever forum in Baku on 12 September to draw international attention to the plight of Iran's ethnic Azeris. Under the leadership of Etibar Mammadov, an Azerbaijani opposition politician (reftel), the movement is made up of r [...] |
2006-09-20 08:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR PHUM KDEM IR AJ |
06BAKU1395 | AZERBAIJAN: TDA VISIT/PROGRESS ON ECONOMIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: In meetings with the Executive Director of the State Oil Fund Shahmar Movsumov, Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov and the Chairman of the State Protection Fund over the course of his visit to Azerbaijan September 10-13, Trade and Development Agency Regional Director Dan Stein dis [...] |
2006-09-22 12:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD EPET ENRG PREL AJ |
06BAKU1398 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV TELLS GENERAL WARD THAT [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 20 meeting with the Ambassador and Deputy EUCOM Commander General Ward, President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan wants to "increase and deepen" its relationship with the United States. He argued that US and Azerbaijani regional interests and goals "coincide," and [...] |
2006-09-25 09:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR NATO ENRG KDEM IR RU AJ |
06BAKU1405 | INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE [...] (C) SUMMARY. On September 14 Ambassador Derse hosted the Friends of Azerbaijan Revenue Management Group, a group consisting of representatives from the diplomatic community and international financial institutions. The group discussed the current macroeconomic environment, the challenges faci [...] |
2006-09-26 09:43:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PINR AJ |
06BAKU1406 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV REVIEWS DEFENSE ISSUES, REAFFIRMS [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 15 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense James MacDougall, President Aliyev affirmed his commitment to a strong bilateral relationship. Aliyev emphasized that the key points of cooperation "particularly the energy spher [...] |
2006-09-26 10:25:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AMGT ABLD KZ AJ |
06BAKU1407 | FM MAMMADYAROV DISCUSSES STRONG U.S.-AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a September 21 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Deputy EUCOM Commander General Ward, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov discussed the strength of U.S.-Azerbaijan relations and the Government of Azerbaijan's steady progress on democratic reform. Mammadyarov praised [...] |
2006-09-26 12:15:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR NATO ENRG KDEM IR RU AJ |
06BAKU1409 | AZERBAIJAN: CUBA-UNHRC DEMARCHE DELIVERED [...] (SBU) Acting DCM delivered reftel demarche September 26 to Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) Mahmud Mammadguliyev. The DFM said that he was unaware of Cuba's initiative at the UNHRC to eliminate the Council's mandate on Cuba and block the participation of NGOs. The DFM appreciated USG's engagemen [...] |
2006-09-27 02:58:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1410 | OSD DASD MACDOUGALL'S SEPTEMBER 15 MEETING WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: Defense Minister Abiyev affirmed the importance of close cooperation with the US and NATO in a September 15 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense James MacDougall. MacDougall raised the importance of Azerbaijan formally notifying NATO ab [...] |
2006-09-27 08:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS KZ AJ |
06BAKU1421 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED CONCERNING IMPLEMENTATION OF [...] (C) Pol/Econ officer delivered reftel demarche concerning attempts to suspend North Korea's missile programs on September 21 to Qalib Israfilov, Director of the MFA's International Security Department. Israfilov did not have any substantive comment. He remarked, however, that he would forwa [...] |
2006-09-28 11:43:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU1422 | INVITATION DELIVERED TO AZRBAIJANI MFA FOR [...] (U) As requested reftel, post delivered invitation for a civilian GOAJ representative to attend the CDRUSCENTCOM-sponsored Iraq Coalition Conference via letter to Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on September 25. Poloff also delivered advance copy on September 21 to Qalib Israfilov, director [...] |
2006-09-28 11:44:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | MARR MOPS PREL AJ IZ |
06BAKU1425 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR EUR /CARC CONFLICTS ADVISOR JOHN [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR/CARC John Crosby to travel to Baku 1-2 October 2006, to support the OSCE Minsk Group's U.S. Co-Chair negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh. Control officer will be Political Officer Jeff Bennett. Mr. Bennett can be reached at the Em [...] |
2006-09-29 09:10:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AJ |
06BAKU1426 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR EUR DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew J. Bryza to travel to Baku 2-3 October 2006, for meetings with the Minsk Group co-chair counterparts.. Control officer will be Political Officer Jeff Bennett. Mr. Bennett can be reached at the [...] |
2006-09-29 09:11:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AJ |
06BAKU1428 | AZERBAIJANI APPELLATE COURT UPHOLDS YENI FIKIR [...] No summary [...] |
2006-09-29 12:54:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1432 | DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV DISCUSSES CASPIAN SEA [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 21 meeting with the Ambassador and visiting EUCOM Deputy Commander General William "Kip" Ward, Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Sabir Abiyev expressed concern that Russia and Iran are building up their naval forces in the Caspian Sea. Abiyev complained about I [...] |
2006-10-03 05:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PTER AJ PBTS IR RU |
06BAKU1433 | FINNISH AMBASSADOR TERHI HAKALA DISCUSSES THE EU'S [...] (C) SUMMARY: Finnish Ambassador Terhi Hakala met with the Ambassador on September 22 to discuss Azerbaijan's European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) Action Plan. The EU Commission has approved the plan, and the EU Troika will visit Baku on October 3. Hakala said negotiating the agreement was some [...] |
2006-10-03 05:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG PBTS AR AZ |
06BAKU1440 | LEADING AZERBAIJANI NEWSPAPERS, REPORTEDLY UNDER [...] (SBU) Azerbaijani press reports state that prominent Russian-language news magazine Realny Azerbaijan and its Azerbaijani language sister publication Gundelik Azerbaijan, under pressure from unidentified sources, will cease publication on October 3. Realny Azerbaijan's well-known founder and e [...] |
2006-10-03 13:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1443 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR NEA PDAS JAMES JEFFREY AND [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to NEA Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary James Jeffrey and NEA/IR Desk Officer Aaron Snipe to travel to Baku 12-13 October 2006, to participate in Iran-related meetings with embassy and government officials. Control officer will be [...] |
2006-10-04 08:47:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AE BA UK YM IR AJ |
06BAKU1444 | AZERBAIJAN'S OCTOBER 6 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS: ALL [...] (C) SUMMARY: As Azerbaijan prepares to hold partial municipal elections on October 6, campaigning has proceeded quietly and calmly, with far greater interest in rural areas than in Baku. 4,562 candidates remain in competition for 1,931 seats. Candidates are actively campaigning by word-of-mout [...] |
2006-10-04 08:47:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM ECON EAGR AJ |
06BAKU1445 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR NEA PDAS JAMES JEFFREY AND [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to NEA Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary James Jeffrey and NEA/IR Desk Officer Aaron Snipe to travel to Baku 12-13 October 2006, to participate in Iran-related meetings with embassy and government officials. Control officer will be [...] |
2006-10-04 08:47:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AE BA UK YM IR AJ |
06BAKU1450 | REQUEST FOR GUIDANCE: SHAH DENIZ GAS AND IRAN [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 4. 2. (SBU) A subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) holds a ten percent share in the consortium that is developing Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas field. BP and Statoil are the major partners in the consortium, with 25.5 percent shares ea [...] |
2006-10-04 11:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG PREL IR AJ |
06BAKU1466 | VOTING IN AZERBAIJAN'S OCTOBER 6 PARTIAL MUNICIPAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: As of 1900 hours on October 6, Azerbaijan's partial Municipal Elections have passed relatively smoothly, with reports of minor procedural problems that the local election officials quickly corrected. Our Embassy observers noticed many cases of family voting, and some cases of atte [...] |
2006-10-06 13:46:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1470 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR AZERBAIJANI DESK OFFICER [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR/CARC Azerbaijani Desk Officer Lane Bahl to travel to Baku 10-15 October, 2006, for consultations and area familiarization. Control officer will be Political Officer Jeff Bennett. Mr. Bennett can be reached at the Embassy at: [...] |
2006-10-10 12:56:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AJ |
06BAKU1471 | NAKHCHIVAN - UNDERGROUND IRANIAN INFLUENCE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Conventional wisdom, especially as articulated by GOAJ officials, is that Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is completely isolated and dependent upon Iran for its economic livelihood (reftel). A recent visit to Nakhchivan revealed less official rhetoric about Nakhchiva [...] |
2006-10-11 04:38:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KDEM IR AJ |
06BAKU1472 | EUR DAS BRYZA DISCUSSES ENERGY AND GAS TO EUROPE [...] (C) SUMMARY: EUR Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Bryza and Ambassador Derse met with Azerbaijani Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov October 2 to discuss Azerbaijan's expanding role as an international energy supplier and to press Minister Sharifov to begin discussions with the Government of [...] |
2006-10-11 04:57:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EPET ENRG PREL AJ RU IR TU |
06BAKU1473 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON STATE OIL FUND [...] (C) SUMMARY: During her September 29 introductory call on State Oil Fund Executive Director Shahmar Movsumov, the Ambassador stressed the critical role the Oil Fund plays in maintaining macroeconomic stability and in providing a long-term savings vehicle for the Azerbaijani people. Movsumov br [...] |
2006-10-11 05:01:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PINR EAID AJ |
06BAKU1475 | AZERBAIJAN: AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON [...] (C) Summary: During her September 28 introductory call on Customs Committee Chairman Aydin Aliyev, the Ambassador reviewed Customs' critical role in Azerbaijan's economic development and its important role in WTO, emphasizing that WTO membership sends a strong positive signal to U.S. business [...] |
2006-10-11 05:19:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ETTC ECON PGOV PREL PINR AJ |
06BAKU1476 | AZERBAIJAN: DRAFT 2007 BUDGET PROJECTS 42 PERCENT [...] (SBU) After months of debate and anticipation, the Government of Azerbaijan is poised to submit its largest ever Consolidated State Budget to Parliament for final approval. After the huge increases in expenditures in the 2006 state budget (an 80 percent increase over the 2005 budget), all econ [...] |
2006-10-11 09:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL AJ |
06BAKU1480 | LACK OF OSCE LEADERSHIP UNDERCUTS DEMOCRATIC [...] (C) With Presidential elections looming in 2008, we cannot afford to continue with weak OSCE leadership in Azerbaijan. The OSCE can and should provide coordination and leadership to the international community's efforts to promote democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights in Azerb [...] |
2006-10-11 13:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM RU AJ |
06BAKU1481 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR AMBASSADOR PETER ALLGEIER, [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to Ambassador Peter Allgeier to travel to Baku 15-18 October 2006 on a PD-sponsored Speaker program to conduct public outreach, in addition to meetings with the GOAJ on WTO accession. Control officer will be Public Diplomacy Officer Li [...] |
2006-10-12 08:01:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT OVIP OTRA ETRD ASEC AJ |
06BAKU1487 | RULING PARTY WINS MAJORITY OF VOTES IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On October 9, Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC) released the first results of the October 6 partial Municipal Elections. As expected, the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party won 60 percent of the votes, while independent candidates captured 36 percent. Total voter turn-out [...] |
2006-10-12 12:37:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1496 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON CENTRAL ELECTION [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her October 4 introductory call on Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Mazahir Panahov, the Ambassador highlighted the interlinked priorities in the bilateral relationship: cooperation in regional and global stability and security; energy security; and strengthening demo [...] |
2006-10-13 12:51:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM PBTS AJ |
06BAKU1501 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON DEPUTY PRIME [...] (C) Summary. In a September 27 introductory meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hassanov reiterated the GOAJ commitment to improving the conditions of Azerbaijan's IDP population. Hassanov said that he has transformed the GOAJ relationship with the international donor commun [...] |
2006-10-16 04:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PREF PBTS MARR SNAR AJ |
06BAKU1515 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON UN DECLARATION ON INDIGENOUS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-19 03:59:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL KTIA UN AJ |
06BAKU152 | AZERBAIJAN ENERGY: BP BRIEFS AMBASSADOR ON BTC, [...] (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Harnish met with AIOC President David Woodward (Strictly Protect) January 31 to review AIOC, BP and Azerbaijan energy activities. Woodward updated Ambassador Harnish on progress of the BTC pipeline, now scheduled for completion in May. Woodward explained that due to t [...] |
2006-02-02 13:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EPET PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU1523 | OSCE MEDIA FREEDOM REPRESENTATIVE ADDRESSES MEDIA [...] (C) Summary: OSCE Special Representative for Media Freedom Miklos Haraszti visited Baku October 8 to 11 in response to the international community's concern over the deteriorating state of media freedom in Azerbaijan. At a October 9 briefing for OSCE member states, Haraszti reported that Presid [...] |
2006-10-19 05:57:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO OPRC AJ |
06BAKU1525 | DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV RAISES REGIONAL SECURITY [...] (C) SUMMARY: EUR DAS Matthew Bryza met with Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Safar Abiyev on October 2 to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and regional security issues. Abiyev said the GOAJ advocates a peaceful resolution to the NK conflict, but there has been no concrete results in ending [...] |
2006-10-19 12:23:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS MARR AJ AM IR RS GG |
06BAKU1527 | AZERBAIJAN: UPDATE ON ALLEGED COUP PLOTTERS [...] (SBU) On October 3, a Baku court approved the GOAJ Prosecutor General's request extending the pretrial detention of former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev through April 17, 2007. Aliyev was one of several prominent GOAJ officials, including former Health Minister Ali Insanov and [...] |
2006-10-20 05:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1530 | NEA PDAS JEFFREY DISCUSSES IRAN WITH DEPUTY [...] (S) Summary: In a 12 October call on Deputy Foreign Minister Khalafov, NEA PDAS Jeffrey, accompanied by the Ambassador, discussed Iran and sought support for a unified international front in response to Iranian nuclear ambitions. DFM Khalafov, responsible for Azerbaijan's Iran policy and ser [...] |
2006-10-20 05:49:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL KDEM PINR KNNP MASS MCAP MNUC PARM IR AJ |
06BAKU1531 | WTO AMBASSADOR ALLGEIER DISCUSSES WTO MEMBERSHIP [...] (C) SUMMARY: Over dinner October 15 with visiting U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Peter Allgeier, representatives from four international financial institutions agreed that economic reform was critical for Azerbaijan's future and that the WTO accession process could advance the [...] |
2006-10-20 06:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL AJ ETRD |
06BAKU1533 | NEA PDAS JEFFREY DISCUSSES IRAN WITH PRESIDENT [...] (S) Summary: During his 12 October call on President Aliyev, NEA PDAS Jeffrey, accompanied by the Ambassador, encouraged Azerbaijan to support a unified international front in response to Iranian nuclear ambitions. Reviewing recent U.S. efforts to counter the Iranian nuclear threat, PDAS Je [...] |
2006-10-20 12:43:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL KDEM KNNP MASS MCAP MNUC PARM PINR IR AJ |
06BAKU1534 | READOUT ON EU TROIKA VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an October 3 meeting with the Ambassador, EU Special Representative Peter Semneby reviewed the EU Troika's October 3 visit to Azerbaijan, in which the Troika announced the completion of negotiations on Azerbaijan's European Neighborhood Plan (ENP) Action Plan. During his priva [...] |
2006-10-20 12:47:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS EAID AJ IR AM GG |
06BAKU1539 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR MARK SULLIVAN, EBRD [...] EMBASSY BAKU GRANTS COUNTRY CLEARANCE TO MARK SULLIVAN, U.S. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EBRD, FOR THE PERIOD OCTOBER 23-27, 2006. PURPOSE OF VISIT IS TO REVIEW EBRD PROJECTS IN AZERBAIJAN, MEET WITH MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND EBRD STAFF. CONTROL OFFICER FOR THE VISIT IS ECON OFFICER DA [...] |
2006-10-21 08:28:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AJ |
06BAKU154 | AZERBAIJAN: MINISTRIES OF CULTURE AND SPORTS, YOUTH, [...] (U) On January 30, President Aliyev issued a decree to establish two new ministries out of two established ministries. The Ministry of Sports, Youth, and Tourism has now become simply the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The Ministry of Culture is now the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT). [...] |
2006-02-02 14:27:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PINR KDEM SCUL KPAO RU AJ |
06BAKU1540 | ISRAEL ENHANCING MILITARY RELATIONSHIP WITH [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 8. 2. (C) Summary: According to Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arthur Lenk, Israeli MOD DG for Political-Military Affairs Amos Gilad will visit Baku in late October to sign a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement. Admitting that the agreem [...] |
2006-10-21 08:57:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PGOV PREL MARR MASS IR IS AJ |
06BAKU1541 | ISRAEL ENHANCING MILITARY RELATIONSHIP WITH [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 8. 2. (C) Summary: According to Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arthur Lenk, Israeli MOD DG for Political-Military Affairs Amos Gilad will visit Baku in late October to sign a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement. Admitting that the agreem [...] |
2006-10-21 08:59:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR MASS IR IS AJ |
06BAKU1549 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO FOREIGN MINISTER ON NORTH [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-26 05:01:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP KN PARM |
06BAKU1564 | WTO AMBASSADOR ALLGEIER DISCUSSES WTO ACCESSION [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In an October 17 lunch meeting with visiting U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Peter Allgeier, key Members of Parliament (MPs) agreed that when considering potential WTO accession, the most important point to consider is that Azerbaijan possesses the political will [...] |
2006-10-30 06:09:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON EFIN ETRD AJ |
06BAKU1565 | ZFR///CANCEL/// FRENCH LAW ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-30 07:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ AM FR |
06BAKU1567 | AZERBAIJAN'S ANTI-TIP PROGRESS: SHELTER OPEN, MIA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Over the past few months, the GOAJ been quite active in its anti-TIP efforts, making progress on several fronts. In this time, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has undergone restructuring by removing the anti-TIP sub-unit from the Organized Crime Unit (OCU) - notorious for [...] |
2006-10-30 08:25:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU157 | RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER IVANOV'S VISIT TO [...] (C) Summary: During a January 24-26 visit to Azerbaijan, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov made a highly publicized offer to sell arms to Azerbaijan, a move President Aliyev interpreted as indicative of a sea-change in Russia's relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia. Recounting his discu [...] |
2006-02-03 09:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR MARR RU AR AJ |
06BAKU1570 | BOEING TO SELL FIVE AIRPLANES TO AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's AZAL airlines has agreed to purchase five airplanes from Boeing. According to Boeing's Sales Director for Europe and Central Asia Serdar Gurz, the price is still to be negotiated, but a contract has been signed and both sides are seeking to have all details finalized [...] |
2006-10-30 11:47:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAIR PREL AJ PGOV |
06BAKU1572 | AZERBAIJAN: INDEPENDENT YOUTH MOVEMENT LEADER [...] (C) SUMMARY: On October 16 the Baku Mayor's Office denied an application to hold a protest rally from the independent youth movement Yox, stating that a rally was "not advisable." The leader of Yox, Ali Ismayilov, announced his plans to carry on with the protest, and was subsequently detained [...] |
2006-10-30 12:46:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM SOCI AJ |
06BAKU1579 | CORRECTED COPY: FRENCH LAW ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE [...] (C) SUMMARY: The French Parliament's draft law criminalizing denial of the Armenian "genocide" has triggered a heated reaction from the Azerbaijani public, including several atempted protests at the French Embassy. Azerbaijan's parliament criticized the draft law, stating that it cast doubt on [...] |
2006-10-30 13:27:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ AM FR |
06BAKU1580 | AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON UNGA HUMAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-10-30 13:48:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER UNGA LE IS AJ |
06BAKU1582 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT ALIYEV DISCUSSES U.S.-AJ [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an October 27 meeting with a visiting German Marshall Fund delegation that included six Congressional staff, President Aliyev applauded U.S.-Azerbaijani relations as "developing very successfully" across many areas, and "entering a new phase." Underscoring that Azerbaijan is a [...] |
2006-10-31 13:13:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS ETRD ECON GG RU IR AJ |
06BAKU1595 | THE IMISHLI SUGAR FACTORY: A NON-OIL SECTOR [...] (U) SUMMARY: The Imishli Sugar Factory is credited with bringing much-needed development to the rural and impoverished Imishli region. Owned by agricultural import-export conglomerate Azersun Holding, the factory processes 5,000 tons of sugar beets and refines 1,000 tons of raw sugar daily. An [...] |
2006-11-02 13:49:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ETDR ECON EAGR EIND PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU1606 | AZERBAIJAN: MEDIA FREEDOM DEVELOPMENTS CONTINUE TO [...] (C) Summary: On October 21 President Aliyev pardoned 106 prisoners, among them two journalists convicted of libel in 2006. The pardon was met with skepticism in the human rights community, in part because it overlooked popular political satirist, Mirza Sakit who was sentenced to prison on drug [...] |
2006-11-03 14:54:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1614 | BOEING NEGOTIATIONS ON TRACK [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: At a November 3 meeting with the Ambassador, Boeing's Sales Director for Europe and Central Asia Serdar Gurz said he is "cautiously optimistic" about the sale of five Boeing airplanes to Azerbaijan. He said that AZAL's Director General Janhangir Askerov is following Boeing's ac [...] |
2006-11-06 15:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAIR PGOV PREL ETRD AJ |
06BAKU1621 | AZERBAIJAN: STATE OIL FUND ANNOUNCES YEAR-TO-DATE [...] (C) SUMMARY: On November 1, the State Oil Fund announced that year-to-date budget revenues totaled USD 839.6 million while budget expenditures totaled USD 697.82 million. During the first nine months of 2006, the Oil Fund received revenue of USD 786.9 million from implementing oil and gas agr [...] |
2006-11-07 16:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET PREL AJ |
06BAKU1622 | AZERBAIJAN'S NATIONAL SECURITY CONCEPT EXPECTED TO [...] SUMMARY: At a November 3 meeting, the UK representative of International Advisors Working Group (IAWG), retired UK General Sir Garry Johnson said that Azerbaijan's National Security Concept (NSC) will likely be finished and approved by the end of 2006. Johnson reported that his role as advi [...] |
2006-11-08 07:14:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS RU IR AJ |
06BAKU1624 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS ECONOMIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: With Presidential elections only two years away, President Aliyev already is highlighting his economic progress during his presidency. In a series of public addresses during a recent trip to Azerbaijan's regions, President Aliyev highlighted the country's economic development dur [...] |
2006-11-08 15:32:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL EAGR EAID AJ |
06BAKU163 | AZERBAIJAN MUM ON P5+2 STATEMENT ON IRAN, LIKELY [...] (C) Pol/Econ Counselor delivered ref a demarche on Iran's nuclear programs to MFA Americas Desk Director Ilgar Mukhtarov on February 2. Mukhtarov had no substantive comment and, in response to emboff's query, said the GOAJ had not issued a public statement on the P5 2's agreement that the IA [...] |
2006-02-03 14:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL KNNP AORC EU IR AJ |
06BAKU1654 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON OPPOSING THE CUBA EMBARGO [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-14 13:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNGA UN CU AJ |
06BAKU1656 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON STATE SOCIAL [...] (C) Summary: In a November 6 meeting with Ambassador, the Chairman of the State Social Protection Fund (SPF) Salim Muslumov briefed the Ambassador on Azerbaijan's reformed pension system and the SPF's efforts to provide greater pension benefits to citizens from Azerbaijan's new oil wealth, as [...] |
2006-11-14 13:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD EPET PREL AJ |
06BAKU1659 | SCENESETTER FOR DRL A/S LOWENKRON'S NOVEMBER 27-28 [...] (C) Azerbaijan is at a pivotal moment in its development, with billions in energy revenue beginning to flow into government coffers, increasing fears of tensions with Iran and Russian resurgence in the region, and senior leaders taking a careful look at Azerbaijan's internal development and p [...] |
2006-11-14 16:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1661 | BP AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT SAYS AZERBAIJAN MOVING [...] (C) SUMMARY: At a November 10 Azerbaijan International Oil Company briefing, outgoing BP Azerbaijan President David Woodward told the Ambassador that according to SOCAR President Rovnaq Abdullayev, Turkey had not agreed to forego its contracted for 2007 Shah Deniz gas deliveries as a way of helping [...] |
2006-11-15 11:38:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ PGOV PREL EPET ENRG RU |
06BAKU1666 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON INTERNATIONAL MARITIME [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-16 06:18:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | KTIA EWWT ANET AORC PREL ECPS IMO INMARSAT EU |
06BAKU1667 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON BELARUS ANTI-U.S. RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-16 10:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ UN BO |
06BAKU1672 | WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT FACT SHEET DELIVERED [...] (SBU) On November 6 Poloff delivered reftel fact sheet to Chair of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children's Issues Hijran Huseynova. Poloff left the fact sheet as a nonpaper. Huseynova expressed a high interest in engaging with the USG on women's empowerment issues. She identified [...] |
2006-11-17 06:00:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KWMN PHUM PREL UNGA AJ |
06BAKU1673 | AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION CONCERNED BY DEMOCRATIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a series of separate meetings, the leaders of Azerbaijan's "big three" opposition parties - Musavat, the Popular Front Party, and the Azerbaijan Liberal Party - shared their concerns over Azerbaijan's political situation. Severe restrictions on media freedom and freedom of assem [...] |
2006-11-17 09:47:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1674 | PARTY LEADERS AND POLITICAL ANALYSTS DISCUSS [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a November 7 dinner hosted by the Ambassador, a group of party leaders, Members of Parliament (MPs) and political analysts discussed the political situation in Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Leaders of the opposition parties shared their concerns about democracy [...] |
2006-11-17 10:01:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1677 | LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST GOAJ FOR FAILURE TO DISCLOSE [...] (C) Political analyst (as well as former Parliamentary candidate and former Embassy Baku FSN) Ilgar Mammadov, through his lawyer, filed a lawsuit November 15 against the GOAJ for failure to disclose information on roll-call votes in Parliament. Mammadov's lawsuit is based on Article 25 of the [...] |
2006-11-17 13:23:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM PINR AJ |
06BAKU1680 | AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON INTERNATIONAL [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-17 13:41:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV ILC UNGA |
06BAKU1682 | EB/CBA SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE MERMOUD MEETS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY. During his trip to Azerbaijan November 7-11, J. Frank Mermoud, the Department of State's Special Representative for Business and Commercial Affairs, met with Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) ministers and officials to discuss economic reform, World Trade Organization (WTO) member [...] |
2006-11-17 13:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD PREL AJ |
06BAKU1683 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON EMERGENCY SESSION OF UNGA ON ISRAELI RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-17 13:59:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL UNGA AJ UN IS |
06BAKU1684 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY MEETING WITH MINISTRY OF [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 14. 2. (C) SUMMARY: During a November 14 introductory meeting with the Ambassador, Minister of Defense Industry Yavar Jamalov provided an overview of the new ministry, created in December 2005. Jamalov, who was appointed in March, said the ministry [...] |
2006-11-17 14:23:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ AM RS TU PK UP |
06BAKU1687 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON CWC AND BWC [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-20 10:13:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PGOV PREL CWC OPC CBW BWC AJ UN |
06BAKU1692 | BAKU HOSTS ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK INVESTMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Azerbaijani Ministry of Economic Development hosted an investment conference for Islamic Development Bank members November 8-9 in Baku. The event included a trade exhibition, large-group presentations on potential investment projects, and sector-specific break-out sessions fo [...] |
2006-11-20 15:14:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ECON ETRD KISL AJ |
06BAKU1693 | AZERBAIJAN: CONOCO-PHILLIPS CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING [...] (C) SUMMARY: On November 15 Conoco-Phillips executive Steve Park told the DCM that another, higher-level Conoco-Phillips executive was coming to Azerbaijan for a November 30 meeting with SOCAR President Rovnaq Abdullayev. The subject of that meeting will be Conoco-Phillips problems with its c [...] |
2006-11-21 08:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL EPET AJ |
06BAKU170 | MINOR PROTESTS MARK MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS VISIT AS [...] (SBU) The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) once again was up to its usual tactics during the visit of the three OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs January 31-February 1. Ambassador Steven Mann, US Special Negotiator for the conflict and Minsk Group Co-Chair, was met at the airport by two noisy a [...] |
2006-02-06 07:27:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM ASEC KPAO PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU1700 | AZERBAIJANI "ANTI-ISLAM" ARTICLE PROVOKES REACTION [...] (C) Summary: On November 9, a little known Azerbaijani newspaper, Sanat, published an article described as "anti-Islamic" in conservative religious quarters. The article provoked a shrill if short-lived reaction in both Azerbaijan and Iran. In Nardaran, a village near Baku known for its reli [...] |
2006-11-24 05:59:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PREL KISL IR AJ |
06BAKU1704 | UPDATE ON FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY IN AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the year that has passed since the November 2005 Parliamentary Elections, the GOAJ has placed severe restrictions on the right to freedom of assembly, which is recognized in Azerbaijani law. Since the violent break-up of a peaceful, sanctioned opposition rally on November 26, 2 [...] |
2006-11-24 07:33:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1708 | GOAJ QUERIES ON USG STATEMENT REGARDING DECEMBER [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 3. 2. (SBU) Several senior GOAJ officials - most recently Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov -- have asked us whether the U.S. intends to issue a statement rejecting the constitutional referendum scheduled to be held December 10 in the so- [...] |
2006-11-24 13:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS KPAO AM AJ |
06BAKU1709 | ISRAELI READOUT ON MOD GILAD'S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) Summary: According to Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arthur Lenk, Israeli MOD DG for Political-Military Affairs Amos Gilad's October 30-31 visit to Azerbaijan was low-profile and short on substance. Gilad engaged Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Abiyev in a detailed discussion of Iran' [...] |
2006-11-24 13:22:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL PGOV ETTC MASS IR IS AJ |
06BAKU1710 | AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON ENERGY, [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a late October 2006 meeting, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov reiterated that Azerbaijan seeks a step-by-step solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and wants Armenia to share in the economic integration and prosperity of the south Caucasus. Mammadyarov characterized Russia [...] |
2006-11-24 13:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PBTS PGOV UNGA EAID ENRG AM UAM IR AJ |
06BAKU1713 | AZERBAIJANI NATIONAL MEDIA REGULATOR SHUTS DOWN [...] (U) On November 24 the GOAJ state media regulator, the National TV and Radio Council (NTRC), ordered Azerbaijan's leading independent television and radio station, ANS TV and Radio, off the air. In a written instruction to ANS Chairman Vahid Mustafayev, NTRC Chairman Nurshirvan Maharammli told [...] |
2006-11-24 17:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1714 | UPDATE ON OPPOSITION EVICTION; U.S, UK AND EU [...] (U) Early morning on November 25 Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs and city officials carried out the November 24 court-ordered eviction of the opposition Popular Front Party (PFP), the opposition newspapers Azadliq and Bizim Yol and Turan news agency from their central Baku he [...] |
2006-11-25 14:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PGOV KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1715 | DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER SADIKOV SAYS "THE TIME IS [...] (C) Summary. The Ambassador met with Deputy Foreign Minister Vagif Sadikov November 20 to discuss Azerbaijan's priorities as the chair of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)'s Foreign Ministers' Conference. According to Sadikov, the GOAJ seeks to "breathe new life" into the or [...] |
2006-11-27 05:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KISL AJ PK EG MY |
06BAKU1717 | AZERBAIJAN: BP EXEC MEETS PRESIDENT ALIYEV, SOCAR [...] (C) SUMMARY: This cable relays for broader distribution informed shared earlier in ref email. In a November 2 meeting, BP Executive Vice President Andy Inglis gave the Ambassador his read-out of separate meetings earlier that day with President Aliyev and with SOCAR President Rovnaq Abdullaye [...] |
2006-11-27 09:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET AJ PREL |
06BAKU1718 | AZERBAIJAN: NOVEMBER 23 PROTEST RESULTS IN 40-50 [...] (SBU) On November 23, the Popular Front Party (PFP) attempted to hold a protest in response to the GOAJ's recent crackdown on media freedom , the fifth in a string of protests PFP has held on this topic over the past month (see ref a). The November 23 protest, held in front of the downtown Bak [...] |
2006-11-27 14:53:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM CASC AJ |
06BAKU1719 | POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN AZERBAIJAN'S [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During an October 30 - November 1 trip to Azerbaijan's southern regions, the Ambassador met with a broad range of contacts, including representatives from local government, civil society, and a variety of businesses. The southern regions are experiencing some growth and investmen [...] |
2006-11-28 06:16:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM PHUM PREL KPAO ECON ETRD AJ |
06BAKU1721 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV SEEKS BILATERAL "PERMANENT [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5. 2. (C) In a one-on-one meeting with the Ambassador on November 23 (see septel for discussion of energy issues), President Aliyev, recalling his discussion with U.S. government officials in Istanbul last July about an intensified bilater [...] |
2006-11-28 06:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD EAID PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU1729 | AZERBAIJAN IN MUTED SHOCK OVER CLOSURE OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijani society remains in a state of muted disbelief following the GOAJ's surprise decision to close independent ANS Television and evict several independent media outlets from their downtown offices. The Coordination Council Union of Public Interest Organizations, an umbrell [...] |
2006-11-28 14:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM CASC AJ |
06BAKU1730 | DRAFT IRAQ UNSCR SHARED WITH AZERBAIJANI MFA [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-28 15:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL UNSC IZ AJ |
06BAKU1731 | MESSAGE DELIVERED TO THE GOAJ ON NATO COMMITMENT [...] No summary [...] |
2006-11-29 06:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MARR MOPS NATO AJ PINS AF |
06BAKU1739 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV COMMENTS ON ANS SUSPENSION [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a November 29 interview, President Aliyev affirmed his commitment to build a modern democratic state based on rule of law, but said that independent ANS Television (whose operations were suspended November 24) must follow the law. Aliyev also criticized the opposition for "poli [...] |
2006-11-29 17:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM CASC AJ |
06BAKU1745 | FINNISH (EU) AMBASSADOR EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER [...] (C) EU (Finnish) Ambassador to Azerbaijan Teri Hakala briefed the Ambassador November 30 on EU views concerning the recent ANS closure and opposition eviction. Hakala, on a previously scheduled trip to Baku, met with Deputy Foreign Minister Mammadguliyev, human rights activists, and will meet [...] |
2006-11-30 15:11:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU175 | OPPOSITION MUSAVAT PARTY TO TAKE PARLIAMENTARY [...] (SBU) On February 5 a conference of the members of opposition Musavat Party decided to allow its MPs elected on November 6 to take up their mandates and to allow its members to participate in the May 13 rerun elections of ten canceled constituencies. Musavat, as a member of the Azadliq Bloc, [...] |
2006-02-07 06:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV AJ |
06BAKU1752 | GOAJ OFFERS ANS TV FREQUENCY FOR TENDER [...] (SBU) On November 30, the National Television and Radio Council (NTRC) announced that it will offer ANS TV's frequency for tender. NTRC Chairman Maharammli said that ANS TV would be allowed to compete in the tender, which will be held from December 5 until January 5. ANS VP Seyfulla Mustafa [...] |
2006-12-01 15:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1753 | UPDATE ON AZERBAIJAN'S NATIONAL SECURITY CONCEPT [...] (U) This is an action request, see para 11. 2. (C) Summary: Azerbaijan is continuing to move forward in its efforts to finalize its National Security Concept (NSC). Retired UK General Sir Garry Johnson, who as part of the foreign experts advisory group has been advising the GOAJ on the NS [...] |
2006-12-01 15:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS MARR MASS AJ |
06BAKU1754 | AZERBAIJAN: GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR ON PM NOGHAIDELI [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to the Georgian Ambassador to Azerbaijan the November 30 visit of PM Noghaideli to Baku was "very positive," and highlighted Georgia's and Azerbaijan's shared strategic vision on energy security and on seeking European markets for Caspian energy. In the meeting between [...] |
2006-12-01 16:00:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG AJ PREL PGOV |
06BAKU1762 | "FONTLINE: SEX SLAVES" SCREENING: EVENT [...] On December 2, Poloff screened the documentary film "Frontline: Sex Slaves" with a group of approximately 35 members of the American Alumni Association, an organization comprised of Azerbaijani youth, mostly in their twenties and thirties, who have studied in the U.S. 2. After viewing the f [...] |
2006-12-04 14:09:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OPRC KPAO OIIP PRE PHUM SOCI SCUL KWMN KCRM |
06BAKU1763 | AZERBAIJAN: OSCE, US, UK OFFICIALS VISIT [...] (U) On December 2, US and UK Emboffs and the OSCE Legal Advisor visited the GOAJ Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) detention facility in Baku to meet the opposition party members detained November 23 for participating in an unauthorized protest (reftel). The Ministry of Internal Affairs grant [...] |
2006-12-04 14:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PGOV KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1764 | DECEMBER 4 UPDATE ON ANS TELEVISION ISSUE [...] (C) As reported reftel, Ambassador spoke to Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev December 2 to seek clarification of the apparent contradiction between the GOAJ's decision to offer ANS TV's frequency for tender and the assurances provided by President Aliyev that ANS will be allowed to [...] |
2006-12-04 14:47:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1771 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT ALIYEV ON UPCOMING GAS [...] (U) ACTION REQUEST: Please see Paragraph 10. 2. (C) SUMMARY: President Aliyev told the Ambassador on December 5 that he expected the December 8 Trilateral meeting of Energy Ministers in Tbilisi to "clarify" whether Turkey was willing to help Georgia with its winter gas problems. He said Azerbaijan [...] |
2006-12-05 15:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG GA PGOV PREL TU AJ |
06BAKU1777 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT ALIYEV ON ANS TV STATION, [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Aliyev said on December 5 that he had instructed his government to "find a solution" to the ANS problem, but added that ANS had to "act with respect" and realize it was not above the law. To facilitate a solution, he bruited the possibility of postponing the recently a [...] |
2006-12-07 14:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU1779 | AZERBAIJAN: UPDATE ON AVIAN INFLUENZA [...] (SBU) Summary: While initial GOAJ testing of dead birds from the southern region of Jalalibad did not indicate avian influenza (AI), a visiting USAID technical advisor and FAO representative who visited the region are concerned that the GOAJ test results were inconsistent with the high mortalit [...] |
2006-12-07 15:13:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ECON PGOV PREL KFLU TBIO CASC AJ |
06BAKU1783 | AZERBAIJAN: SUBMISSION OF THE FINANCIAL CRIMES AND [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-08 08:31:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM EFIN PTER SNAR AJ |
06BAKU1789 | AZERBAIJAN: BP WILLING TO MAXIMIZE ACG GAS TO [...] SUMMARY: BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader told the Ambassador on December 8 that BP has come up with a proposed course of action to help Azerbaijan out of its upcoming winter gas supply shortage, part of which would be giving Azerbaijan "as much ACG associated gas as it can" over a six t [...] |
2006-12-08 13:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL AJ TU GA |
06BAKU1791 | DOD DAS MACDOUGALL'S DECEMBER 7 MEETING WITH [...] (C) Summary: Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary James MacDougall and the Ambassador--accompanied by SIPDIS Major General Harry Wyatt of the Oklahoma National Guard and EUCOM Brigadier General Melvin Spiese--met with Defense Minister Safar Abiyev on December 7 to discuss bilate [...] |
2006-12-08 14:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR MOPS PBTS PHUM AJ IR |
06BAKU1793 | DASD MACDOUGALL'S MEETING WITH DEPUTY FOREIGN [...] (C) Summary: Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary James MacDougall and the Ambassador met with Deputy SIPDIS Foreign Minister Araz Azimov on December 7 to discuss the National Security Concept, Azerbaijan's relations with NATO, and USG plans for an interagency team to discuss Ir [...] |
2006-12-08 14:19:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1794 | AZERBAIJAN WILLING TO HOST DECEMBER 14 'TRILAT [...] (C) Per Ref A guidance, the Ambassador spoke with Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev on December 7 to express USG support for a December 14 follow-on Ministerial or higher level trilateral plus BP and Statoil meeting in Baku to discuss solutions for the upcoming winter's regional gas shortage. (As r [...] |
2006-12-08 14:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL AJ TU GA |
06BAKU1795 | PUBLIC REMAINS QUIETLY DISTURBED BY ANS CLOSURE; [...] (C) SUMMARY: Two weeks after the November 24 closure of independent ANS Television and the eviction of the residents of the Azadliq newspaper building, the public, while concerned, remains quiet. After the President's November 29 comments on the ANS "suspension," many were optimistic that he w [...] |
2006-12-08 15:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1798 | AZERBAIJAN: IMF REPRESENTATIVE BRIEFS REVENUE [...] (C) SUMMARY. The IMF Resident Representative provided an overview of Azerbaijan's macroeconomic environment at a November 30 meeting of the Friends of Azerbaijan Revenue Management Group. Azerbaijan's GDP is projected to grow by 32 percent in 2006, while the non-oil sector fiscal deficit has [...] |
2006-12-11 06:31:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD PREL AJ |
06BAKU1799 | GOAJ PREPARING FOR SUCCESSFUL INAUGURAL [...] (SBU) Following up on her November 30 meeting with President Aliyev (REF A), Ambassador Derse met separately with Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov and Minister of Economic Development Heydar Babayev to discuss the February 2007 inaugural U.S.-Azerbaijan Economic Partnership Commission and to [...] |
2006-12-11 06:32:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PREL EAID EAGR ETRD EINV AJ |
06BAKU1800 | 2007 STATE BUDGET FORESEES 60 PERCENT INCREASE IN [...] (C) SUMMARY. Azerbaijan's Parliament approved the 2007 State Budget on November 28. Compared to the 2006 budget, the 2007 budget plans for a 57 percent increase in revenues, a 60 percent increase in expenditures, and a small budget deficit. Government revenues are expected to total USD 6.1 [...] |
2006-12-11 06:33:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD AJ EINV |
06BAKU1806 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL'S [...] (SBU) ADCM delivered ref demarche to Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev on December 11. Mammadguliyev said that, according to his information, the EU and Africa groups were consulting in Geneva today, December 11, and that Azerbaijan supported the two groups' efforts to find a comp [...] |
2006-12-11 15:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KTIA SU UN IS AJ |
06BAKU1807 | BP AND GOAJ CONFIRM DEAL REACHED ON SHAH DENIZ GAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader, during a December 9 meeting with SOCAR President Rovnaq Abdullayev, SOCAR officially informed BP as the Shah Deniz Operator that that the Energy Ministers of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia had agreed to redistribute Turkey's 200 [...] |
2006-12-11 15:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PREL PGOV RU GG TU AJ |
06BAKU1810 | AMBASSADOR'S DINNER WITH FOREIGN POLICY ANALYSTS [...] (C) Summary: At a lively December 6 dinner hosted by the Ambassador, six of Azerbaijan's most respected foreign policy analysts argued that Azerbaijan's difficult geographical position forces it to have a cautious foreign policy to balance the divergent foreign influences. They also noted th [...] |
2006-12-12 08:13:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR IR KDEM PHUM AJ |
06BAKU1811 | ANS TV AND RADIO RESUME BROADCASTS [...] (C) At a December 11 press conference, National TV and Radio Council (NTRC) Chair Nushiravan Maharramli announced that independent media group ANS would be allowed to resume television and radio broadcasts on December 12. (ANS broadcasts had been suspended on November 24, when the NTRC decid [...] |
2006-12-12 13:08:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KPAO AJ |
06BAKU1815 | AZERBAIJAN ENERGY MINISTER: TRILAT GAS DEAL [...] (C) SUMMARY At a December 12 meeting Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev briefed US and Georgian diplomats and energy company representatives on the results of the December 8 Energy Ministers' Trilateral in Tbilisi. Aliyev said the Energy Ministers came to a general agreement that Turkey's 2007 Sh [...] |
2006-12-13 14:00:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL PGOV TU GA AJ |
06BAKU1819 | DASD MACDOUGALL'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENTIAL [...] (C) Summary: In a December 9 discussion with Department of Defense Deputy Assistant Secretary James MacDougall and the Ambassador, Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov said that as recent regional developments have again underscored, Azerbaijan has "no alternative" to friendship [...] |
2006-12-14 07:28:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS PHUM IR AJ |
06BAKU1823 | UPDATED SCENESETTER FOR DRL A/S LOWENKRON'S [...] (C) Barry, I deeply appreciate your rescheduling your visit and your willingness to lead a serious and sustained dialogue with Azerbaijan in support of its democratic development. Progress on political and economic reform is a key element in our bilateral relationship and essential if we are [...] |
2006-12-14 15:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1828 | UPDATE ON DETAINED EX-MINISTER: PROPERTY [...] (SBU) On December 12, a Baku court ruled in favor of impounding the property of detained former Minister of Economic Development, Farhad Aliyev. Head of the Azerbaijani State Property Registration Service, Arif Qarasov, told the press that according to the court ruling, because Aliyev "officia [...] |
2006-12-15 14:34:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
06BAKU1829 | BP AZEBAIJAN DODGES BULLET [...] (C) SUMMARY: OnDecember 12, BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader told Charge that BP would be willing to give SOCAR more associated ACG gas over the whole of 2007 if it were sufficiently compensated, and that his sense of the December 8 Tbilisi Energy Minister meetings was that Turkey was wil [...] |
2006-12-15 14:48:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL AJ GA TU |
06BAKU1830 | CORRECTION: BP AZERBAIJAN DODGES BULLET [...] (C) SUMMARY: On December 12, BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader told Charge that BP would be willing to give SOCAR more associated ACG gas over the whole of 2007 if it were sufficiently compensated, and that his sense of the December 8 Tbilisi Energy Minister meetings was that Turkey was wi [...] |
2006-12-15 14:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL AJ GA TU |
06BAKU1831 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON THE CHAIRMAN OF [...] (C) Summary: In a November 7 introductory meeting, the Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Religious Associations (SCWRA) Hidayet Orujov told the Ambassador that the GOAJ was committed both to ensuring religious freedom and to preserving Azerbaijan's history of interfaith harmony. Or [...] |
2006-12-18 07:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KISL IR AJ |
06BAKU1835 | GOAJ INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT USG POLICY [...] (C) Summary: President Aliyev stated to the Ambassador that the USG and international community's policy towards Iran has "failed," that Iran is "confident, comfortable, and unconstrained," that he "does not understand USG policy on Iran" and, consequently, Azerbaijan's policy must be to "mi [...] |
2006-12-20 08:07:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PINR PBTS PREL MARR AJ IR |
06BAKU1836 | PSI DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 9. 2. (C) Summary. In response to the Ambassador's and Polish Ambassador Krajewski's joint PSI demarche (reftel), Deputy Foreign Minister Azimov said the GOAJ politically and morally supports PSI, but it has not officially agreed to the Statement o [...] |
2006-12-20 11:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | MNUC PARM PREL KNNP IR RS AM AJ |
06BAKU1837 | DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AZIMOV SIGNALS DESIRE TO [...] (U) This is an action request; see para 3. 2. (C) In a December 8 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov requested that the USG engage in government-to-government consultations on the drafting of Azerbaijan's Military Doctrine and Foreign Policy Strategy. Azimov [...] |
2006-12-20 11:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR MASS AJ |
06BAKU1839 | AZERBAIJAN: SHAH DENIZ PRODUCTION DELAYS COULD [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a December 19 conversation, SOCAR President Abdullayev said December 19 that the two main problems facing Azerbaijan,s 2007 winter gas balance were Turkish unwillingness to follow up on the general political agreements on gas redistribution discussed in Tbilisi, and the latest [...] |
2006-12-20 14:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL TU AJ GA |
06BAKU1840 | AZERBAIJAN: BP ELABORATES ON SHAH DENIZ DELAYS [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to BP Azerbaijan, a leak in the first Shah Deniz well, which started production on December 14, has caused production to cease. It will be early January 2007 at the earliest before the leak's cause is known, with subsequent production hinging on the cause of the leak. [...] |
2006-12-20 14:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PGOV PREL AJ TU GA |
06BAKU1841 | AZERBAIJAN: SOME PROGRESS IN TRILATERAL GAS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Against the backdrop of 'First Gas' from Shah Deniz gas field beginning to flow on December 15, the question of how Turkey was to be compensated for allowing its 2007 Shah Deniz gas to be redistributed to Azerbaijan and Georgia was left undecided during December 14-15 negotiations [...] |
2006-12-20 14:27:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL PGOV TU AJ GA |
06BAKU1842 | AZERBAIJAN: 2006 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM [...] Summary: Cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States on counterterrorism predates the September 11, 2001 attacks and the waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act in January 2002. Over the past five years, the GOAJ has continued to step up its efforts to combat terrorist fina [...] |
2006-12-21 10:51:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC EFIN KCRM KPAO PTER KHLS AEMR AJ KAPO |
06BAKU1843 | AZERBAIJAN SCRAMBLING FOR A SOLUTION WITHOUT SHAH [...] (C) SUMMARY. Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov said on December 21 that BP had informed the GOAJ that there would be "at least a three month delay" in Shah Deniz production. He said that BP 's "poor work" on Shah Deniz was "unacceptable," and had greatly worsened the regional gas situatio [...] |
2006-12-21 13:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL PGOV TU AJ GA ECON |
06BAKU1845 | INITIAL AZERBAIJANI REACTION TO TURKMENBASHI'S [...] (C) Summary: The GOAJ and local Azerbaijani observers are still digesting the news of Turkmen President Niyazov's death, but believe Niyazov,s death could create an opportunity to improve the traditionally poor relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Azerbaijani commentators believ [...] |
2006-12-21 13:53:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG EPET PBTS IR TX AJ |
06BAKU1856 | AZERBAIJAN: TIP TIER 2 ACTION PLAN DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-22 11:22:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV PREL KWMN SMIG AJ |
06BAKU1857 | TREASURY VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN - THE IRANIAN THREAT [...] (C) Summary: During a 16-18 November visit by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Terrorist Finance and Financial Crimes, GOAJ officials from the National Bank, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Presidential Apparat reviewed Azerbaijan's anti-terrorism finance inf [...] |
2006-12-22 12:10:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL PGOV PINR ECON EFIN PTER IR AJ |
06BAKU1859 | AZERBAIJAN INDEPENDENT UNIVERSITY STUDENTS [...] (SBU) Approximately 100-150 former students of the closed Azerbaijan Independent University (AIU) remain on hunger strike in protest of the slow trial proceedings to determine their academic fate. AIU was closed by the Ministry of Education (MOE), along with 17 other private academic instituti [...] |
2006-12-22 12:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU195 | AZERBAIJAN'S OPPOSITION SKEPTICAL OF N-K PEACE AS [...] (C) SUMMARY: From separate conversations with working-level contacts among Azerbaijan's opposition political leaders, it is evident that not only do many political activists discount the sincerity of GOAJ efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but few have any concrete ideas of thei [...] |
2006-02-09 14:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
06BAKU196 | PRESIDENT FIRES ONE MORE MINISTER, APPOINTS TWO [...] (U) On February 7 President Ilham Aliyev dismissed Minister of Labor and Social Protection Ali Naghiyev and replaced him with Fizuli Alakbarov, former head of Improtex travel agency. Additionally, the President assigned Azad Rahimov, former head of a furniture import firm, as the new Minister [...] |
2006-02-10 04:11:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM KDEM PINR AJ |
06BAKU205 | NEW MANAT SLIPS IN THE BACK DOOR AS INFLATION [...] (C) SUMMARY. With the beginning of the new year, the Government of Azerbaijan is facing increasing macroeconomic challenges. The introduction of the newly designed manat and redenomination ultimately went smoothly, although the GOAJ decided to stagger the roll-out of all the notes over several [...] |
2006-02-10 13:11:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU206 | MINOR CARTOON PROTEST EVOLVES OUT OF ASHURA CEREMONIES [...] (SBU) Following Ashura observances at one of Baku's main mosques on February 9, a group of around 200 protestors decided to break off from the main group to march to the French Embassy to protest the Mohammed cartoons. While the group was able to march a reasonable distance, it was finally sto [...] |
2006-02-10 13:41:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KIRF KISL PGOV KDEM ASEC AJ |
06BAKU207 | AZERBAIJAN'S NEW CENTRAL ELECTION COMMITTEE [...] (U) The Milli Mejlis (Parliament) held an extraordinary session on February 7 to designate commissioners for the new Central Election Commission, as set out in the Unified Election Code (UEC). Because ten of the 125 parliamentary seats remain vacant and will be filled through the May 13 rerun [...] |
2006-02-10 14:13:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV AJ |
06BAKU208 | AVIAN CASES OF H5N1 CONFIRMED IN AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: The GOAJ announced February 10 that samples taken from birds in Azerbaijan had tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza. The tests were conducted at an international reference laboratory at Weybridge, UK. Ministers of Health and Agriculture did the right thing by quickly announci [...] |
2006-02-10 16:07:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR EAID CASC KFLU AJ |
06BAKU217 | NEW MINISTER OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS OUTLINES [...] (C) Summary: During a February 10 meeting with the Ambassador, newly appointed Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaleddin Heydarov outlined broad functions for his new ministry, ranging from civil defense to pipeline security and some counterterrorism functions. Heydarov said the new minis [...] |
2006-02-14 13:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR EPET PTER PINR KFLU AJ |
06BAKU218 | AZERBAIJAN: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES UPCOMING CAS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: According to the World Bank mission, the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Azerbaijan will focus upon the goals and projects outlined in the April 2005 Poverty Reduction Support Credit agreement between the GOAJ and the World Bank. According to the Bank mission, the total [...] |
2006-02-14 13:39:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN ENRG EAID PREL PGOV ADB IBRD AJ |
06BAKU219 | AZERBAIJAN: IMF READOUT ON ECONOMY IN LATE 2005 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: According to the IMF resident representative, the slowdown in inflation during the last quarter of 2005 was due primarily to a combination of nominal appreciation in the manat and a deceleration in money growth. In addition, it appears that many businesses did not raise prices [...] |
2006-02-14 13:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU234 | AZERBAIJANI FM MEETS WITH CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met February 13 with leaders from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Mammadyarov characterized Azerbaijan's relations with the United States as a "strategic partnership" and said that Azerbaijan wants [...] |
2006-02-15 13:34:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AM ENRG IR IS KZ PREL RU |
06BAKU235 | AMBASSADOR AND UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR URGE [...] (C) SUMMARY: On February 14 Ambassador Harnish along with representatives from UN agencies and the USAID country director met with Prime Minister Artur Rasizadeh to urge a more active response by the GOAJ to the avian influenza outbreak in Azerbaijan. In a positive step forward, Rasizadeh gav [...] |
2006-02-15 13:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | KFLU SOCI TBIO KSCA EAGR EAID CASC ASEC AJ |
06BAKU236 | CEC CHAIR PROMISES AMBASSADOR COOPERATION ON MAY RERUN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 9 Ambassador called on Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Mezahir Panahov to discuss preparations for the May 13 reruns of ten parliamentary seats. Ambassador addressed a wide area of reforms that could be undertaken, most notably restricting local authorities [...] |
2006-02-15 13:50:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU240 | RUSSIA CONVENES G-8 MEETING ON COUNTER-TERRORISM [...] (S/NF) Summary: While participants at a Russian-chaired G-8 meeting on counter-terrorism issues agreed that Azerbaijan was a strong partner in the global war on terrorism, the meeting rapidly devolved into a discussion on Azerbaijan's reform record. Western countries argued that greater ref [...] |
2006-02-16 07:42:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PTER PGOV KISL RU AJ |
06BAKU249 | AZERBAIJAN IN 2006 LOOKS TO SOLIDIFY ITSELF AS [...] (C) SUMMARY: With the completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline scheduled for late May and the South Caucasus Pipeline scheduled for October, Azerbaijan in 2006 looks to solidify itself as a regional energy hub and energy provider to foreign markets, including Europe. Over the next [...] |
2006-02-17 06:01:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EPET PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU256 | AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT, SHEIKH UL ISLAM MEET WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his private session with the leadership of the visiting Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (COP) on February 13, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed disappointment with the outcome of his talks in Paris with President Kocharian over the [...] |
2006-02-17 14:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PINR ECON KDEM KISL IS IR AJ |
06BAKU257 | AZERBAIJAN AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE: GOAJ, [...] (SBU) International pressure on the GOAJ to take avian influenza seriously appears to have prompted the GOAJ to take action. Following Ambassador and UN Resident Coordinator,s February 14 approach to Prime Minister Rasizade (reftel) and European Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner,s February 16 pitc [...] |
2006-02-17 14:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR EAID PGOV KFLU ASEC CASC AJ |
06BAKU267 | AZERBAIJAN: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES STRONG RELATIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: In his introductory call on new Chairman of the State Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev, Ambassador Harnish pressed for details of the agency,s future plans and possible internal reforms. Aliyev extolled on the value of his recent trip to the U.S. and noted that he would like to cre [...] |
2006-02-21 09:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ETTC ECON PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU269 | NEW SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES LEGISLATIVE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 16, Ambassador and USAID Country Coordinator called on the new Speaker of Parliament, Ogtay Asadov. Asadov and Ambassador agreed on the need for May parliamentary rerun elections to be democratic and expressed confidence that Parliament would exercise a greater role [...] |
2006-02-21 10:42:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PREL PGOV ECON PTER AJ |
06BAKU277 | AZERBAIJANI PUBLIC DISMISSES N-K TALKS AS "TOILET [...] (SBU) Public reaction following the unsuccessful presidential talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict February 10-11 in Rambouillet, France, has been predictable. While the international press had billed the talks as having the possibility for a break-through, most Azerbaijanis remained cynica [...] |
2006-02-22 09:25:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM KMDR KPAO PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU280 | ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK; FEBRUARY 20 [...] (C) SUMMARY: At a February 20 briefing for the diplomatic corps on avian influenza, Azerbaijani Minister of Agriculture Abbasov reviewed the steps the GOAJ has taken and reported that the GOAJ's revised action plan had been submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers. Abbasov said the GOAJ now ha [...] |
2006-02-23 04:31:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR KFLU EAID PGOV ASEC CASC AJ |
06BAKU293 | AZERBAIJAN'S MFA AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS CONDEMN [...] (U) Per reftel, PAO and Pol/Econ Chief separately shared texts of statements by President Bush and Ambassador Khalilzad regarding the destruction of the Al-Askariya shrine with Azerbaijani MFA Spokesperson and Americas Desk on February 23. MFA Spokesperson Tahir Tagizade subsequently issued [...] |
2006-02-24 13:54:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV KDEM KPAO KISL PTER IZ AJ |
06BAKU300 | AZERBAIJAN: NON-PRO COURIER APPROVAL [...] No summary [...] |
2006-02-27 10:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER OTRA AJ |
06BAKU305 | BTC COMPLETION ON TRACK FOR MAY; BP WORRIES GOAJ [...] (C) SUMMARY. In his February 16 meeting with DCM (attending for Ambassador) and the British Ambassador, AIOC President David Woodward reported that BTC appears on schedule to send oil from Ceyhan by the end of May, with public ceremonies to take place in June. However, this depends on BP achi [...] |
2006-02-27 14:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET AJ KZ GG TR |
06BAKU306 | PRESIDENT'S CHIEF OF STAFF ON MAY ELECTIONS, JC3, [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a meeting with the Ambassador, Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev was in general agreement with our approach to May parliamentary re-run elections, and did not object to NDI/IRI sending observers if they were interested. He also asked to meet with IRI and NDI count [...] |
2006-02-27 14:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL KDEM KFLU EAID EAGR MAPP AJ |
06BAKU309 | AZERBAIJAN 2006 TIP REPORT SUBMISSION [...] (U) As per reftel, paragraph 3 below begins Embassy Baku's submission on status of action the GOAJ has taken on combating human trafficking. Answers are keyed to questions in reftel. 2. (SBU) In preparing this report, Post has undertaken extensive contacts with international organizations, [...] |
2006-02-28 08:52:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KCRM KWMN PREF PGOV PHUM KFRD ASEC ELAB |
06BAKU315 | AZERBAIJAN: GOVT CONVICTS 10 OF ELECTION FRAUD [...] (U) On February 24 First Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam Usubov told Poloff that the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has obtained criminal convictions of 10 individuals for election fraud in connection with the November 6 parliamentary elections. Few political observers were aware of these [...] |
2006-02-28 11:53:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU317 | AZERBAIJAN'S OPPOSITION LEADERS DISCUSS PLANS WITH [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During separate mid-February meetings with Ambassador, three prominent opposition leaders discussed their plans for party development and election strategies this year. While Ali Kerimli's Popular Front has reconstituted the Azadliq Bloc as a political bloc (without Musavat) an [...] |
2006-02-28 14:16:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM ASEC PGOV PREL PINR IR AJ |
06BAKU322 | DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER PROMISES TO DO MORE ON AVIAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During a February 24 meeting with the Ambassador and USAID and UNICEF representatives, Deputy Prime Minister for Agriculture (and head of the presidential avian influenza commission) Abbas Abbasov showed a new interest in serious measures to address the issue. He indicated that [...] |
2006-02-28 14:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR EAID KFLU PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU323 | SIGNS OF LIFE IN AZERBAIJAN'S NEW PARLIAMENT [...] (SBU) On February 27, Ambassador called on new Deputy Speaker of Parliament Valeh Alasgarov (reftel). Alasgarov is a new MP who has been elected by the 41 independents in Parliament to serve as their focal point. Alasgarov appeared overwhelmed at the numerous balls he has been assigned to ju [...] |
2006-03-01 07:53:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV EAID PREL PINR AJ |
06BAKU324 | AZERBAIJAN: MALL PROTEST OVER DESTRUCTION OF THE [...] (C) On February 25, fifteen miles north of Baku in the village of Nardardan, approximately 75 protesters demonstrated against the February 22 destruction of the Al-Askariya mosque in Iraq. Newspaper reports stated that Nardaran demonstrators also burned U.S., Danish and Israeli flags to expres [...] |
2006-03-01 10:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KISL PHUM ASEC AJ |
06BAKU327 | BEYOND BTC - AZERBAIJAN SEEKS FURTHER ROLE FOR [...] (C) SUMMARY. Azerbaijan's MFA, in cooperation with State Oil Company SOCAR, sponsored a "High-Level Meeting on the Issues of Energy Security of Europe" on February 24. Representatives of several European countries, the European Commission, and Iran attended. Although the subject matter was no [...] |
2006-03-01 13:32:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET AJ KZ GG TR RU IR |
06BAKU328 | AZERBAIJAN: BRITISH HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER PUSHES UK [...] (C) Summary. In a February 22 meeting with the Ambassador, Lord Lester, a British barrister representing jailed former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev, probed USG interest in political asylum for Aliyev in the UK. The Ambassador eventually declined to support this approach while [...] |
2006-03-01 14:25:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU329 | AZERBAIJAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCES THAT [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a tense meeting with the donor community March 1, a very agitated Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov, head of the GOAJ avian influenza commission, confirmed for the first time avian influenza in domestic poultry and one commercial poultry farm. Abbasov indicated that GOAJ lab [...] |
2006-03-01 14:51:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR EAID ECON KFLU PREL PGOV CASC AJ |
06BAKU333 | BP BUILDS PICTURE OF SPLIT GOAJ ON OIL TRANSPORT [...] (C) SUMMARY. In his February 28 meeting with Ambassador and the British Ambassador, BP Azerbaijan senior executive David Woodward reported that the South Caucasus gas pipeline project (SCP) is continuing on schedule and the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC) should remain on schedule as wel [...] |
2006-03-02 14:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET AJ KZ GG TR |
06BAKU339 | AZERBAIJAN CONSIDERS CHANGES TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS [...] (C) Summary: Rafiq Aliyev, Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Religious Associations (SCWRA) informed us that the GOAJ has begun writing sermons for Azerbaijan's mosques. Aliyev confirmed news reports that the GOAJ plans to amend the Law on Religious Freedoms to address the threat of [...] |
2006-03-03 12:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL AJ |
06BAKU341 | AZERBAIJANI PROSECUTOR GENERAL: OPPOSITION YOUTH [...] (C) First Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam Usubov told us February 24 that the GOAJ criminal investigation into accused youth opposition activist Ruslan Bashirli was almost complete and the case would go to trial between March 10 and March 15. Bashirli was the first of three opposition youth le [...] |
2006-03-03 13:34:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHEM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU342 | KHOJALI TRAGEDY: PATRIOTISM, GRIEF, AND A PUSH [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's commemoration of the Khojali Massacre (a 1992 attack by Armenian forces that resulted in the death of a reported 613 civilians) contained a decidedly political message this year, with pointed outreach to the international community and a disturbing uptick in anti-Arme [...] |
2006-03-03 13:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PREL PGOV KCRM SOCI AM AJ |
06BAKU348 | AZERBAIJAN'S RESPONSE TO U.S.-PROPOSED AGENDA FOR [...] (SBU) As requested reftel, pol/econ chief extended PM A/S Hillen's invitation to the 2006 session of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Political-Military Consultations to Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov. Azimov was already aware of the planned March 29 talks and expressed his confidence that the talks [...] |
2006-03-03 14:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR MASS MOPS PARM PGOG AJ |
06BAKU356 | AMBASSADOR AND EU TROIKA RAISE CONCERNS WITH PM ON [...] (C) SUMAMRY: In a March 6 meeting requested by the Ambassador and EU Troika (EU Commission, German Ambassador, French Charge) to highlight common concerns about Azerbaijan's handling of avian influenza problems, Prime Minister Artur Rasi-zade, welcomed international expertise in dealing with t [...] |
2006-03-06 15:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EAGR EAID PGOV KFLU CASC AJ |
06BAKU359 | A SNAPSHOT OF POVERTY IN BAKU [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Nasib Nassibli, an opposition MP and former Fulbright scholar, took PolOff on a tour of his constituency which includes some of Baku's poorest families. The squalor in which his constituents live often goes unnoticed as more attention often goes to IDPs, refugees, and orphans. [...] |
2006-03-07 09:05:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL ECON ELAB SOCI AJ |
06BAKU362 | PRESIDENT'S DECREE GIVES GREATER POWERS TO NEW [...] (C) SUMMARY: On February 27, President Aliyev issued a decree detailing the activities the new Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) will undertake. In addition to the broad responsibilities outlined by the decree establishing the Ministry (ref b), the new decree called for: creation of a mi [...] |
2006-03-07 11:21:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON ASEC KDEM PHUM PINR AJ |
06BAKU368 | STATUS OF THE KASHAGAN-BTC IGA -- THE VIEW FROM [...] (C) SUMMARY. International energy companies in Baku believe Azerbaijan is holding out for better terms in the draft Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Kazakhstan over trans-Caspian oil transport. Parliament Deputy Speaker Valekh Alasgarov appears to be leading the charge for President A [...] |
2006-03-07 12:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL AJ KZ |
06BAKU369 | SCENESETTER FOR A/S FRIED'S MARCH 13-14 TRIP TO [...] (S) Summary: We warmly welcome your March 13-14 visit and view it as much-needed opportunity to engage the highest levels of the GOAJ. Azerbaijan could play a critical role in advancing U.S. interests in energy security and a useful one in the resolution of the nuclear threat posed by Iran. [...] |
2006-03-07 13:38:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL PGOV ENRG MARR KDEM PHUM IR RU AM AJ |
06BAKU370 | BARMEK'S TROUBLES PAINT GRIM PICTURE FOR POWER [...] (C) SUMMARY: The truce between Azerbaijan state electricity company AzerEnergy and Turkish power company Barmek, which buys electricity from AzerEnergy for distribution to consumers, has broken down. President Aliyev lent support to AzerEnergy chief Pirverdiyev's public attack on the company [...] |
2006-03-07 14:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON AJ TR |
06BAKU377 | AVIAN INFLUENZA IN AZERBAIJAN: NEED FOR MORE [...] (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: Despite significant and prolonged intervention by Post, the GOAJ continues to react poorly to the threat of avian influenza. The GOAJ's extremely poor veterinary response appears to have largely destroyed the commercial poultry industry, in addition to an unkno [...] |
2006-03-09 14:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAID PGOV PREL EAGR KFLU CASC AJ |
06BAKU383 | NEW AZERBAIJANI YOUTH MINISTER A RARE BREATH OF [...] (SBU) Recently appointed Minister of Youth and Sports Azad Rahimov told the Ambassador March 6 that he was eager to engage on youth development issues. An affluent entrepreneur in his early forties, Rahimov said he worked closely with several of Azerbaijan's current leaders, including President [...] |
2006-03-10 14:31:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR PGOV AJ |
06BAKU407 | MANAGING AZERBAIJAN,S LOOMING ECONOMIC STORM [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan faces a massive economic challenge over the near-term. With oil revenue projected to reach USD 42 billion by 2010, Azerbaijan has the opportunity to transform from a cash-poor developing nation into an economically confident regional leader. While the GOAJ in theory h [...] |
2006-03-15 13:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EAID ETRD PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU411 | ECONOMIC DECISION-MAKING AZERBAIJANI STYLE [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Ilham Aliyev is the lead economic and political decision-maker in Azeraijan. Aliyev, however, makes most economic polcy decisions relying upon a small close group ofbusiness contacts and trusted government ministers. High-level economic decision-making in Azerbaijan re [...] |
2006-03-16 11:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PINR ECON PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU412 | EUR A/S FRIED DISCUSSES ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: EUR A/S Dan Fried and Ambassador Harnish discussed the importance of strengthening Azerbaijan,s economic and financial development with Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev on March 14. Babayev told Fried that his job is to make Azerbaijan stronger economically and that h [...] |
2006-03-16 11:57:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ENRG EPET EFIN PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU430 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV LOOKS TO THE FUTURE OF AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with EUR A/S Fried on March 14, President Aliyev said that the U.S.-Azerbaijan relationship remains strong and reaffirmed Azerbaijan,s westward orientation. Aliyev expressed concern about the situation of ethnic Azeris in Georgia asked A/S Fried to raise the issue th [...] |
2006-03-21 13:09:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON ENRG MOPS AJ |
06BAKU431 | EUR A/S FRIED DISCUSSES ENERGY SECURITY ISSUES IN [...] (C) SUMMARY. EUR A/S Fried discussed the role of the Caspian in European energy security with GOAJ, BP, TOTAL, Statoil and ConocoPhillips officials in Baku on March 14. The consensus opinion was that Caspian energy resources, particularly natural gas, could play an important role in meeting f [...] |
2006-03-21 13:13:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET AJ KZ GG TR TX |
06BAKU433 | EUR A/S FRIED DISCUSSES DEMOCRACY, IRAN, ISLAM [...] (C) SUMMARY. In a meeting with Azerbaijan's civil society leaders, EUR A/S Dan Fried discussed democratization, Iran, and Islamic extremism. Many civil society leaders noted a disengagement from politics by the population after the November elections failed to meet their high expectations. W [...] |
2006-03-22 07:23:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL PINR KISL AJ IR |
06BAKU444 | WHO CONFIRMS 5 AVIAN INFLUENZA CASES IN AZERBAIJAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 21, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that UK reference laboratory tests showed that five deaths (reftel) in Azerbaijan were caused by H5N1 avian influenza. Testing confirmed two additional H5N1 infections; one patient recovered and has been discharged fro [...] |
2006-03-22 13:19:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KFLU EAID PGOV EAGR TBIO CASC AJ |
06BAKU446 | AZERBAIJAN: HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING APPROVAL FOR [...] On March 16 post received a request for Human Rights Vetting approval for members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to participate in Crime Scene Photography and Crime Scene Investigation training programs. The participants would attend Forensics Training in Baku, 3 April thru 12 May 2006. [...] |
2006-03-22 13:39:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV MARR MASS AJ |
06BAKU447 | AZERBAIJAN: AMBASSADOR'S ECONOMIC VISIT TO [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador Harnish traveled to Ismailly and Sheki March 9 and 10 to open a Regional Information Center and a renovated pre-school and boarding school funded by the U.S. During the trip, the Ambassador met with local government officials and discussed economic and political deve [...] |
2006-03-22 13:41:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EAGR EAID ETRD PREL PGOV KFLU AJ |
06BAKU450 | AZERBAIJAN ENERGY OUTLOOK [...] (C) SUMMARY. Representatives from energy sector companies operating in Azerbaijan discussed the Barmek crisis, Caucasus gas needs, changes in pipeline security agencies, trans-Caspian oil transport and offshore gas development at the Ambassador,s March Energy Forum. Participants reported tha [...] |
2006-03-23 10:48:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON ENRG AJ RU KZ |
06BAKU452 | SCENESETTER FOR MARCH 29 US-AZERBAIJAN [...] (S) Summary: The March 29 political-military consultations are an important opportunity to broaden our strong security relationship. Strategically located in the heart of the Greater Middle East, Azerbaijan provides excellent cooperation on security issues and looks for opportunities to do [...] |
2006-03-23 12:15:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PARM MARR MASS MOPS PBTS AJ |
06BAKU454 | REQUEST FOR U.S. REPRESENTATION AT JUNE 6-9 [...] The Thirteenth Annual Caspian Oil and Gas Show (COGS) will be held on June 6-9, 2006, here in Baku. COGS has traditionally been the largest oil and gas show in the region, attracting thousands of attendees. COGS 2005 hosted 331 exhibitors from 29 countries including a dozen major U.S. firms [...] |
2006-03-23 13:16:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL EPET ENRG ECON AJ |
06BAKU455 | UPDATE ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH: CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS [...] (U) Militant rhetoric on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the past week followed reports of ceasefire violations and an announcement that three soldiers were convicted of treason for collusion with Armenia. Meanwhile President Aliyev called on the Armenians to accept the useful suggestions [...] |
2006-03-23 13:17:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PBTS MOPS ASEC AJ |
06BAKU458 | AZERBAIJAN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT DELIVERED [...] (SBU) On March 17 DCM presented the 2005 Human Rights Report (HRR) to Deputy Foreign Minister for Democratization, Human Rights, and Humanitarian Problems Mahmud Mamadguliyev. Mamadguliyev stated that the GOAJ recognizes the situation in Azerbaijan is ¬ ideal,8 but noted that the GOAJ was t [...] |
2006-03-24 09:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU459 | AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE ON ESTABLISHMENT OF GUAM [...] (SBU) On March 17 DCM delivered reftel demarche on GOAJ contributions to the GUAM Secretariat to Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mamadguliyev. Mamadguliyev was not immediately familiar with the issue but promised to look into the matter. HARNISH [...] |
2006-03-24 09:14:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KDEM EAID EUN SNAR PGOV AJ |
06BAKU460 | AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE ON GUATEMALAN UN SECURITY COUNCIL [...] (SBU) On March 17 DCM delivered reftel demarche, following up on a previous demarche by Ambassador, this time to Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mamadguliyev and asked for a substantive response to request to support Guatemala in its bid for a non-permanent UN Security Council seat. Mamadguliye [...] |
2006-03-24 09:18:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL UN UNSC GT VE AJ |
06BAKU467 | AZERBAIJAN: HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING APPROVAL FOR [...] On March 27 post received a request for Human Rights Vetting approval for members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' participation in the Basic Firearms and Explosives Course in Budapest. The participants would attend the training in Budapest on 10-14 April 2006. The participants are: [...] |
2006-03-27 11:32:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV MARR MASS AJ |
06BAKU469 | AZERBAIJAN OPPOSITION JOURNALIST CONTINUES [...] (C) SUMMARY: On March 24 PolOff visited Fikret Huseynli, a journalist for the opposition Azadliq newspaper (the mouthpiece for Ali Kerimli's Popular Front Party) to investigate his reported March 5 assault. Huseynli, who appeared to be recovering from an attack, claimed that high-level GOAJ o [...] |
2006-03-28 10:19:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU473 | AZERBAIJAN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR MR. RICHARD [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to Mr. Richard Sherwood to travel to Baku 17-28 April 2006, to work with the resident tax advisor and the Azerbaijani Ministry of Tax on the Tax Administration Project. Control officer will be Economic Officer David McCormick. Mr. Mc [...] |
2006-03-28 12:51:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN OTRA AJ |
06BAKU474 | AZERBAIJAN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR EUR/ACE JERRY [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR/ACE Director of Humanitarian Programs Jerry Oberndorfer to travel to Baku 3-7 May 2006, to participate in the U.S.-Azerbaijan Economic Task Force meetings and to visit DOS grantees. Control officer will be Economic Officer Davi [...] |
2006-03-28 12:51:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID AJ |
06BAKU478 | AZERBAIJAN MAKING SOLID PROGRESS ON TIP COMMITMENTS [...] (SBU) The GOAJ has made substantial progress in the past several months to meet its trafficking in persons (TIP) commitments outlined in the USG's annual trafficking in persons report. In the two months since PolOff last visited the site of the victims' shelter, the GOAJ has transformed a bui [...] |
2006-03-29 09:36:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KCRM KWMN SMIG EAID PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU479 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR MATTHEW J. BRYZA [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew J. Bryza to travel to Baku 3-4 April 2006. Control officer will be Economic Officer Aaron Scheibe. Mr. Scheibe can be reached at the Embassy at: Email: ScheibeAP@State.Gov Mobile: (9 [...] |
2006-03-30 03:33:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA AJ |
06BAKU480 | AZERBAIJAN LEADS EITI EFFORTS; PROBLEMS STILL EXIST [...] (C) SUMMARY. We warmly welcome your April 4-6 visit for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative International Advisory Group meeting. Your visit is an excellent opportunity to engage the GOAJ on the importance of effectively managing its oil wealth, strengthening public investment p [...] |
2006-03-30 07:53:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET EFIN ECON AJ |
06BAKU494 | AZERBAIJAN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR EUR/ACE [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR/ACE Coordinator Ambassador Thomas C. Adams to travel to Baku 3-5 May 2006, to participate in the U.S.-Azerbaijan Economic Task Force meetings. Control officer will be Economic Officer David McCormick. Mr. McCormick can be reache [...] |
2006-04-02 05:01:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID AJ |
06BAKU507 | CEC CHAIRMAN AFFIRMS PREPARATIONS ON TRACK FOR MAY 13 [...] (SBU) On March 30 Ambassador made a farewell call on Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairman Mezahir Panahov. During the meeting, Ambassador urged Panahov to publicize the ten successful prosecutions of election fraud to date (reftel). Panahov agreed that it was important to inform people [...] |
2006-04-04 08:47:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU510 | CABINET OF MINISTERS REPORTS TO PARLIAMENT ON 2005 [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 14 the Prime Minister presented the Cabinet of Minister's report on its 2005 activities, similar to a "State of the Union" address. As expected, the GOAJ comments and data were very positive: GDP and average salary increased, government reforms continued, state credits [...] |
2006-04-04 09:14:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PREL PGOV ECON AJ |
06BAKU511 | AMBASSADOR AND STATOIL DISCUSS SHAH DENIZ PHASE II [...] (C) SUMMARY: Statoil executives briefed the Ambassador March 29 on the challenges facing the international energy companies and the GOAJ as Shah Deniz Phase II (Phase II will increase annual gas production by 18-20 bcma) moves forward. International companies want to pool their gas with the GO [...] |
2006-04-04 09:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ECON ENRG PREL PGOV KZ AJ |
06BAKU512 | AZERBAIJAN: HUMAN RIGHTS VETTING APPROVAL FOR [...] On March 27 post received a request for Human Rights Vetting approval for members of the Ministry of Interiors participation in a Senior Level Leadership Training Course. The participants would attend the Senior Level Leadership Training Course in Baku, 17-28 April 2006. The participants are [...] |
2006-04-04 09:18:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PGOV MARR MASS AJ |
06BAKU517 | UPDATE ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH: CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS [...] (U) Ceasefire violations continued over the last ten days, as eleven violations were registered and OSCE monitoring had to be stopped because of the firing. Militant rhetoric on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continued from senior GOAJ officials, including President Aliyev, who said that the si [...] |
2006-04-04 12:40:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PBTS MOPS ASEC AJ |
06BAKU518 | GUAM SECRETARIAT DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJAN [...] (SBU) Ambassador delivered ref demarche to Foreign Minister Mammadyarov on March 31. Mammadyarov affirmed Azerbaijan's support for GUAM, telling the Ambassador that the GOAJ wants to see GUAM become a much stronger organization. On the GUAM Information Center, Mammadyarov said that at the G [...] |
2006-04-04 13:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KDEM EAID EUN ENRG SNAR PGOV AJ |
06BAKU519 | CLOSED TRIAL FOR YENI FIKIR ACTIVISTS TO START [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 31 Azerbaijan's Court of Grave Crimes held the pre-trial hearing for the three Yeni Fikir (New Thought) youth group activists accused of plotting a violent takeover of the government and engaging in illegal entrepreneurship. The panel of three judges heard arguments fr [...] |
2006-04-05 03:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU528 | AZERBAIJAN: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR LAWRENCE [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to USDA FAS Lawrence Barbieri to travel to Baku on/about 3-6 May 2006, to participate in the U.S.- Azerbaijan Joint Economic Task Force on 4 May 2006. Control officer will be Economic Officer Aaron Scheibe. Mr. Scheibe can be reached a [...] |
2006-04-05 13:06:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | AMGT ASEC EAGR OTRA AJ |
06BAKU529 | AZERBAIJAN'S DEPUTY SPEAKER INTRANSIGENT ON [...] (C) On March 30 PolEcon Counselor called on First Deputy Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov to discuss plans for parliamentary reform and his legislative priorities. However, Asgarov chose to devote the meeting to a lengthy soliloquy on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and why the international community h [...] |
2006-04-06 06:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL PINR MARR AJ |
06BAKU531 | AZERBAIJAN: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXCLAVE OF [...] (C) Summary: During a March 28-29 trip to Nakhchivan, local officials provided a glowing review of economic growth and investment opportunities in the isolated exclave. According to Nakhchivan Ministry of Economic Development statistics, GDP grew by 27 percent in 2005, with a 57 percent incr [...] |
2006-04-06 10:35:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON ETRD BEXP KFLU AJ |
06BAKU536 | SCENESETTER FOR CODEL KOLBE'S APRIL 12-14 VISIT TO [...] (U) Chairman Kolbe, I warmly welcome you and Congressman Garrett to Baku next week. This visit will be a superb opportunity to deliver a strong message of support for political and economic reform, and to enhance further our strong security cooperation with Azerbaijan. Your visit comes at a p [...] |
2006-04-07 09:22:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEN ECON EAID MARR AJ |
06BAKU538 | AZERBAIJAN'S OPPOSITION REMAINS FOCUSED ON 2005 [...] (SBU) On April 3, EUR DAS Matt Bryza held a roundtable meeting with Azadliq Bloc leaders Ali Kerimli, Lala Shovket, and Sardar Jalaloglu along with Musavat chairman Isa Gambar. Almost to the exclusion of any other topic, the Azadliq bloc leaders clearly remained focused on the November 2005 pa [...] |
2006-04-07 10:35:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PINR PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU540 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV N ENERGY SECURITY, TRANSCASPIAN [...] (C) Summary: In an April 3 meeting with S/P Director Krasner and EUR DAS Bryza, President Aliyev said he looked forward to further development of Azerbaijan's gas reserves and creation of a new TransCaspian pipeline to export Central Asian gas to European markets as an important "second stage [...] |
2006-04-07 11:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EPET ENRG PREL PGOV KDEM AJ |
06BAKU541 | IRAN JAMMING AZERBAIJANI TV SIGNALS [...] (SBU) The owners of independent ANS TV (by far the most independent channel in Azerbaijan) told PAO that Iran has been jamming its broadcasts in southern Azerbaijan for months. The owners said that ANS had switched frequencies once or twice but the Iranians, with much more powerful transmitt [...] |
2006-04-07 13:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PROP ECPS IR AJ |
06BAKU543 | MUTED ENTHUSIASM, TROUBLE-FREE PROCESS, MARK [...] (C) SUMMARY: In marked contrast to six months ago, the run-up to Azerbaijan's ten May 13 rerun parliamentary elections has been relatively quiet. Three weeks into the campaign and the GOAJ and the 200 candidates appear to be quietly preparing for election day by training election commissions, [...] |
2006-04-10 05:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU572 | AZERBAIJAN: YOUTH ACTIVIST TRIAL RESUMES, EMBASSY [...] (SBU) The closed trial of Yeni Fikir youth activists Ruslan Bashirli, Ramin Tagiyev and Said Nuriyev resumed April 12 at the Baku Court of Grave Crimes. The trial had been postponed for 48 hours after the defendants rejected court-appointed attorneys. The Court subsequently selected new lawyer [...] |
2006-04-14 04:26:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU573 | AZERBAIJAN: SUCCESSFUL MINISTERIAL-LEVEL [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador Harnish hosted the first ever ministerial-level seminar on macroeconomic, budget and public investment planning strategies that brought together the Ministers of FinQce and Economic Development, National Bank Chairman and other high-level Government of Azerbaijan off [...] |
2006-04-14 09:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU574 | AZERBAIJAN: UPDATE ON DETAINED FORMER MINISTER [...] (C) Summary. Lawyers for jailed ex-Minister Farhad Aliyev report that his health continues to deteriorate due to inadequate GOAJ medical care; they also claim that the GOAJ has been criminally negligent in its medical treatment of Aliyev. ICRC, which has regular access to Aliyev and the rest [...] |
2006-04-14 09:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU581 | AZERBAIJAN: S/P DIRECTOR AND EUR DAS BRYZA DISCUSS [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an April 3 meeting, S/P Director Stephen Krasner discussed macroeconomic development and prudent oil revenue management with Minister of Economic Development Babayev and Minister of Finance Alakbarov. Babayev and Alakbarov stressed to Krasner that the GOAJ was aware of the da [...] |
2006-04-17 04:27:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EPET ENRG PREL PGOV AJ KZ |
06BAKU582 | DAS BRYZA DISCUSSES TRANS-CASPIAN GAS PIPELINE IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: During an April 3 visit to Azerbaijan, EUR DAS Bryza heard GOAJ interest in a possible "Southern Corridor" of gas pipelines to export gas from Azerbaijan, and perhaps Central Asia through a trans-Caspian gas pipeline (TCP), via Georgia and Turkey to help Europe diversify its gas s [...] |
2006-04-17 07:34:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL PGOV KZ TU TX AJ |
06BAKU584 | CODEL KOLBE DISCUSSES IRAN WITH AZERBAIJANI [...] (C) SUMMARY: During an April 13 meeting with Foreign Minister Mammadyarov, House Subcommittee Chairman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) thanked the Foreign Minister for GOAJ's support for the Global War on Terrorism, calling Azerbaijan a "stalwart friend." Mammadyarov reiterated GOAJ's commitment to staying [...] |
2006-04-17 09:00:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL IR AJ |
06BAKU585 | AZERBAIJAN'S POPULAR FRONT PARTY CHAIRMAN URGES [...] (SBU) During an April 10 farewell call on Popular Front Party (PFP) Chairman Ali Kerimli, Ambassador reiterated USG plans for encouraging further democratic development in Azerbaijan and urged Kerimli (whose party is not participating in the May rerun elections) to remain engaged in the proces [...] |
2006-04-17 09:06:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL PINR AJ |
06BAKU602 | AZERBAIJAN: FINANCE MINISTER REPLACED BY OIL FUND [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev dismissed April 18 Finance Minister Avaz Alakbarov and appointed Oil Fund Executive Director Samir Sharifov as the new Finance Minister. A successor for Sharifov at the critically important Oil Fund was not announced, leaving a key institution w [...] |
2006-04-19 12:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV PINR AJ |
06BAKU605 | AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON PRESIDENTIAL CHIEF [...] (C) Summary: During the Ambassador's April 18 farewell call, Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev pledged that the May 13 parliamentary rerun elections would be transparent and free. To that end, Mehdiyev said he had warned the ExComs in regions where rerun elections will take place tha [...] |
2006-04-19 13:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PBTS KDEM AM RU AJ |
06BAKU606 | AZERBAIJAN SEEKS ELECTION TO UN HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (SBU) On April 10, post received a diplomatic note from the MFA in which the GOAJ formally requested the USG support its candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council. The text of the dipnote follows in paragraph 3. We understand the GOAJ presented a similar dipnote to USUN. 2. (C) During an [...] |
2006-04-19 13:47:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KUNR OPDC PHUM UNGA AJ |
06BAKU607 | EC VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN HEAVY ON NEIGHBORHOOD [...] (C) SUMMARY. During his April 7 visit to Baku, EC RELEX Deputy Director-General Fotiadis discussed mainly European Neighborhood Program issues and some energy issues. Sticking points for adoption of Azerbaijan's draft ENP plan appear to be language on regional cooperation, lingering Cypriot [...] |
2006-04-20 03:21:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG AJ GG AM CY EU |
06BAKU609 | DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER PROPOSES ISSUING JOINT [...] (C) SUMMARY. During discussions over President Aliyev's upcoming visit to Washington, Deputy Foreign Minister Khalafov presented a three-page draft joint statement to DCM for possible signing during the trip. DCM said the Embassy would pass the draft to Washington, but that it was a matter f [...] |
2006-04-20 08:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV OVIP KUNR AMGT ABLD AJ |
06BAKU611 | OPPOSITION MUSAVAT PARTY REMAINS ENGAGED IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 10, Ambassador paid a farewell call on Musavat Party Chairman Isa Gambar. Gambar (whose party is participating in the May 13 rerun elections) said that the overall election climate remains difficult. As an example, one of Musavat's candidates in the May parliamentary [...] |
2006-04-21 03:40:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL IR AJ |
06BAKU624 | AMBASSADOR'S FAREWELL CALL ON ENERGY MINISTER [...] (C) SUMMARY. In a wide-ranging discussion on the eve of Ambassador's departure from post, Azerbaijan Energy Minister Natik Aliyev argued for a trans-Caspian gas pipeline bringing natural gas from both Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan through Azerbaijan to European markets. Aliyev also expressed mi [...] |
2006-04-24 04:30:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ PGOV EPET KZ PINR PREL TX |
06BAKU625 | A MIXED REPORT CARD FOR AZERBAIJAN'S NEW PARLIAMENT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's new parliament has a mixed record, almost five months into its work. While information from the leadership and pro-governmental MPs indicates the legislative body will function more transparently (including possibly incorporating a version of public comment into some [...] |
2006-04-24 08:57:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL KISL IR AJ |
06BAKU631 | CONVICTION OF ARMY OFFICER IN HUNGARY SPARKS SMALL [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a case closely followed by many Azerbaijanis, on April 13 a Hungarian court convicted Army Lieutenant Ramil Safarov to life imprisonment for the February 2004 murder of an Armenian officer during a NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) exercise. Azerbaijani media has followed every [...] |
2006-04-25 10:52:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL PBTS ASEC AM AJ |
06BAKU633 | UPDATE ON TRIAL OF YENI FIKIR YOUTH ACTIVISTS [...] (U) On April 20 the Baku Court of Grave Crimes re-opened the trial of the three Yeni Fikir youth activists Ruslan Bashirli, Ramin Tagiyev and Said Nuriyev to press and observers. The Court's spokesman cited the completion of "national security-related testimony" as the main reason behind Judge [...] |
2006-04-25 13:17:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU641 | IRANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER VISITS BAKU [...] (U) Iranian Defense Minister Mustafa Najjar visited Azerbaijan April 19-20 and met with President Ilham Aliyev, Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, Chairman of the Parliament Oktay Asadov and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov The local press reported that Najjar's meeting with President Aliyev f [...] |
2006-04-27 02:23:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PINR ECON EPET AJ IR |
06BAKU650 | BP UPDATE ON EAST-WEST ENERGY CORRIDOR [...] (C) SUMMARY. During his regular briefing for U.S. and UK Embassy officers on April 25, AIOC President David Woodward gave a downbeat assessment of talks with BOTAS on BTC completion and predicted further delays. SCP is largely on schedule although Woodward continues to argue that it will be [...] |
2006-05-01 02:54:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL AJ TX KZ |
06BAKU651 | AZERBAIJANI VIEWS OF THE KAZAKHSTAN-AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY. Conversations with senior Azerbaijani official Samir Sharifov and SOCAR Vice President Elshad Nasirov reveal that the GOAJ is pushing for a focused and non-ambiguous Inter-Governmental Agreement for oil transport from Kazakhstan. Sharifov, somewhat mistrustful of Kazakhstan, wan [...] |
2006-05-01 02:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL AJ TX KZ |
06BAKU659 | STATOIL EXECUTIVES ON SCP COMPLETION AND FURTHER [...] (C) SUMMARY. Statoil executives in Baku cautioned about on-time completion of the South Caspian Pipeline (SCP) and expressed concern about conditions in both Azerbaijan and Turkey that could be obstacles to further large-scale energy projects. SOCAR has requested that its share of Shah Deniz [...] |
2006-05-01 12:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL AJ TX KZ |
06BAKU660 | EU SPECIAL REP SEMNEBY ON EU SOUTH CAUCASUS POLICY [...] (C) SUMMARY: EUR Senior Advisor Steven Mann met with EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby (Sweden) on April 22. Semneby provided a readout of his recent conversation with Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Azimov, outlined the EU process for committing peacekeepers, [...] |
2006-05-01 12:24:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL PREF PBTS PNAT AJ GG RU MD |
06BAKU661 | THE IRANIANS ARE COMING [...] (C) SUMMARY: According to rumors, press reports and Azerbaijani government officials, an increasing number of Iranians are moving to Azerbaijan and buying property here. Most -- but not all -- of these Iranians are ethnic Azeris. Although some portray this as nothing more than Iranians tryin [...] |
2006-05-02 08:12:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET | PREL PGOV PINR ECON EPET AJ IR |
06BAKU663 | CONOCO-PHILLIPS VIEWS OF THE KAZAKHSTAN-AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) SUMMARY. ConocoPhillips executives believe the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan IGA for trans-Caspian oil transport must be signed this year if the needed maritime infrastructure is to be ready by the time the oil flows, although they concede the deadline may be more flexible. Major issues for Conoc [...] |
2006-05-02 12:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL EWWT EINV AJ KZ |
06BAKU669 | CONSULTANT FORSEES SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR [...] (C) SUMMARY. A consultant working on a USAID contract predicted serious difficulties for Azerbaijan's power sector in the coming years. The Barmek crisis has scared away private sector investment, and the GOAJ will be forced to rely on loans from IFIs. The consultant recommends that any suc [...] |
2006-05-03 10:31:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG EAID PREL AJ AM TX KZ |
06BAKU673 | UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL - CANDIDACY OF IRAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-03 13:14:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | KUNR PHUM UNHRC PREL AJ |
06BAKU675 | AZERBAIJANI STATE AIRLINE AZAL RENEWS REQUESTS FOR [...] (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARAGRAPH 3. 2. (SBU) Based on a recent visit by Embassy EconOff, the Azerbaijani Civil Aviation Authority (AZAL) has renewed its interest in holding Open Skies negotiations with the U.S. Previous attempts to arrange Open Skies negotiations with AZAL are d [...] |
2006-05-03 13:24:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAIR ECON ETRD AJ |
06BAKU684 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV "VERY SATISFIED" WITH VISIT TO [...] (C) Summary: In a May 4 meeting, President Aliyev said he was "very satisfied" with his U.S. visit, especially his meeting with President Bush. The comprehensive agenda reflected the "real partnership" between the U.S and Azerbaijan, and laid the groundwork for an expanded relationship. He [...] |
2006-05-05 17:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG ETRD EPET KDEM PINR AJ |
06BAKU685 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV "VERY SATISFIED" WITH VISIT TO [...] (C) Summary: In a May 4 meeting, President Aliyev said he was "very satisfied" with his U.S. visit, especially his meeting with President Bush. The comprehensive agenda reflected the "real partnership" between the U.S and Azerbaijan, and laid the groundwork for an expanded relationship. He [...] |
2006-05-05 17:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG EPET ETRD KDEM PINR AJ |
06BAKU689 | FOLLOW-UP ON IRAN,S CANDIDACY FOR THE UN HUMAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-09 14:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | KUNR PHUM UNHRC PREL AJ |
06BAKU695 | EB/CBA SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE MERMOUD DISCUSSES [...] (C) SUMMARY. On May 4 the Department's Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Frank Mermoud met with new Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov to discuss improving the business climate, working more closely with the private sector and managing fiscal and budgetary constraints [...] |
2006-05-11 07:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON ETRD EPET EFIN EAID AJ |
06BAKU700 | PREPARATIONS FOR PARLIAMENTARY RERUNS UNDERWAY IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: The May 13 parliamentary rerun race in the northwestern region of Zaqatala promises to the most interesting of an otherwise low-key campaign. Prominent opposition leader Arif Hajili is running in a field of six other serious candidates that includes a government ruling YAP candid [...] |
2006-05-11 11:15:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU701 | AZERBAIJAN'S RERUN ELECTIONS: CAMPAIGN QUIET, [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a May 10 briefing, ODIHR Election Observation Head of Mission Geert Aherns reported that the campaign period for ten parliamentary rerun elections to be held on May 13 appeared to be proceeding fairly well, in comparison with the November election. ODIHR,s assessment corre [...] |
2006-05-11 11:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU702 | AZERBAIJAN: A VOTER TURNOUT SCHEME IN JALILABAD? [...] (U) In the aftermath of the November 6 parliamentary election, the GOAJ Constitutional Court invalidated the results of several precincts within constituency 69 located in Jalilabad along Azerbaijan's southern border with Iran. Citing widespread fraud in the November vote count, the Court canc [...] |
2006-05-11 12:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU703 | AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT ADHERE TO ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT [...] (U) The Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the Embassy that the Government of Azerbaijan does not require the participation in or cooperation with the Arab League boycotts or other international boycotts. The GOAJ does not, as a matter of policy, practice or contract requests [...] |
2006-05-12 07:43:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KBCT ABLD PHUM PIRF AJ |
06BAKU704 | ECONOMIC COOPERATION ORGANIZATION SUMMIT IN BAKU [...] (C) Summary: Leaders from Afghanistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan descended on Baku for the Ninth Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit on May 5. Iranian President Ahmadinejad's participation in the summit attracted much a [...] |
2006-05-12 09:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PREL PGOV EFIN EPET ENRG EAID IR AJ |
06BAKU710 | AZERBAIJAN RERUNS: ALL EYES ON VOTE COUNT AFTER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's May 13 rerun of ten parliamentary districts, canceled due to fraud in November 2005 elections, appears to be proceeding quietly in most districts. While minor procedural problems persist, we have seen little evidence of calculated fraud during balloting. Domestic o [...] |
2006-05-13 14:37:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU713 | AZERBAIJAN'S PARLIAMENTARY RERUN ELECTIONS SHOW [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan,s May 13 rerun of ten parliamentary races was marked by calm, orderly voting and a relatively clean and transparent vote count. International observers -- including the OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Euro [...] |
2006-05-15 12:48:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU715 | MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SEEKS MORE U.S. [...] (C) SUMMARY: The State Department's Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Frank Mermoud and Charge met May 4 with Azerbaijani Minister of Economic Development Heydar Babayev. Babayev expressed a strong interest in purchasing U.S. products and having more U.S. products, [...] |
2006-05-15 13:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG EPET ETRD KDEM PINR AJ |
06BAKU718 | AZERBAIJAN: SOCIAL PROTECTION FUND CHAIRMAN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY. Chairman of the Social Protection Fund Salim Musilmov discussed with Charge May 12 the Government of Azerbaijan's efforts to reform and modernize its pension system. The Social Protection Fund offers full pension benefits to men with 25 years of employment service at age 62 and [...] |
2006-05-16 11:33:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN PGOV PREL AJ |
06BAKU720 | ITOCHU EXPRESSES INTEREST IN BAKU-TBLISI-KARS [...] (C) SUMMARY. Japanese multinational Itochu is seriously interested in the proposed Baku-Tbilisi-Kars rail link. Both Itochu and SOCAR feel the rail link will be necessary to deal with large Caspian oil volumes coming in the future. BP and British Embassy representatives disagree and do not s [...] |
2006-05-16 12:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL ELTN AJ GG TR AM JA |
06BAKU722 | LATEST ROUND OF AZERBAIJAN-KAZAKHSTAN IGA TALKS [...] (C) SUMMARY. ConocoPhillips Russia/Caspian Transportation Manager John Dabbar and executive Steven Beck briefed Energy Officer May 6 on the just-concluded round of negotiations over the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for trans-Caspian oil transport. While "double ta [...] |
2006-05-17 10:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL EWWT EINV AJ KZ |
06BAKU724 | AZERBAIJAN: NATIONAL BANK DIRECTOR GENERAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of Azerbaijan announced May 15 the appointment of Shahmar Movsumov as Executive Director of the critically important State Oil Fund. Movsumov succeeds Samir Sharifov, who was named Minister of Finance on April 18. Movsumov, a close Embassy contact, speaks excellen [...] |
2006-05-18 03:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ECON PREL PGOV PINR AJ |
06BAKU725 | IRANIAN PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD FULL OF BRAVADO AT [...] (C) Azerbaijan's Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov told A/DCM that Iranian President Ahmadinejad was full of bravado at the May 5 Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit in Baku (ref). In informal conversations with other regional leaders before the ECO meeting, Ahma [...] |
2006-05-18 06:53:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON PINR IR AJ |
06BAKU731 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENTIAL ECONOMIC ADVISOR'S [...] (C) SUMMARY. Acting DCM paid a courtesy call on Presidential Economic Counselor Vahid Akhundov May 15 to discuss economic and financial developments in Azerbaijan. Akhundov, in his current position since the early 1990s, discussed the Government of Azerbaijan's efforts to manage its oil revenu [...] |
2006-05-18 09:38:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD ECON EFIN PREL PGOV PINR AJ |
06BAKU733 | UN AGENCIES ENCOURAGE AZERBAIJAN TO PLAN FOR IDP [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-18 12:43:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PREF PHUM AM AJ |
06BAKU734 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV TO ATTEND KIEV GUAM SUMMIT; GOAJ [...] (C) SUMMARY. President Aliyev will attend the GUAM Summit in Kiev, according to his foreign policy advisor, Novruz Mammadov. Mammadov believes Ukraine will use the summit to stake out a leadership role in the region. Russia, he believes, sees GUAM as a rival to the CIS and will try to lever [...] |
2006-05-18 13:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PINR PBTS ECIN AJ GG UP MD |
06BAKU735 | SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his recent visit to Baku, Frank Mermoud, State Department Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs, and Charge met with representatives of Azerbaijani Airlines (AZAL) and members of the State Customs Committee. The meetings focused on follow-up from the [...] |
2006-05-18 13:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ETRD AJ EAIR SNAR |
06BAKU736 | EXPORTING GAS: EB/CBA SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE [...] (C) SUMMARY. Charge and EB/CBA Special Representative Frank Mermoud met May 5 with Elshad Nasirov, Vice President of Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR). Nasirov argued that Kazakhstan is unhappy with Gazprom and is looking at alternate methods to get its gas to world markets. Nasirov o [...] |
2006-05-19 06:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET AJ KZ RU TR |
06BAKU741 | PORTAL MONITOR TRAINING, CALIBRATION AND MAINTENANCE - [...] SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) and the IAEA have provided, and continue to provide, radiation detection equipment and training to two different agencies within the Government of Azerbaijan resulting in a fragmented approach to the detection of radioactive material transiting the bord [...] |
2006-05-19 13:01:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ETTC MNUC PARM PBTS PREL KSTC KNNP RU AJ |
06BAKU742 | NEW KAZAKHSTAN DRAFT OF AZERBAIJAN-KAZAKHSTAN IGA [...] (C) On May 19, John Dabbar of ConocoPhillips informed Energy Officer of recentdevelopments in the negotiations over the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for cross-Caspian oil transport. Dabbar said that Kairgeldy Kabyldin of KazMunaiGaz has been removed from his positio [...] |
2006-05-19 13:03:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL EWWT EINV AJ KZ |
06BAKU754 | DELIVERY OF U.S. STRATEGY FOR NATIONAL AVIAN [...] No summary [...] |
2006-05-23 09:13:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | TBIO KFLU KPAO SENV AJ |
06BAKU758 | AZERBAIJAN CAUTIOUS AS IRAN CRACKS DOWN ON ETHNIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijani society has taken a strong interest in reports that Iranian security forces opened fire May 22 on a demonstration of about 100,000 mostly Azeri-Iranian students in the city of Tabriz, killing at least ten. A flurry of Azerbaijani press reports has fanned public interes [...] |
2006-05-24 15:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM PGOV KDEM IR AJ |
06BAKU762 | IRANIAN AMBASSADOR SPEAKS OUT ON ETHNIC AZERI [...] (U) The ongoing demonstrations by ethnic Azeris in Iran and reports of more police violence, deaths, and arrests continue to generate headlines and intense interest in Azerbaijan (ref a). Iranian Ambassador Afshar Suleymani (an ethnic Azeri himself) held a press conference on May 24 in which [...] |
2006-05-25 13:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PINR IR AJ |
06BAKU769 | BP OFFICIALS ON FUTURE TRENDS IN THE EAST-WEST [...] (C) SUMMARY. On May 17, BP Azerbaijan Associate President David Woodward and BP Executive Vice President Andy Inglis briefed Charge and British Ambassador on recent developments in Caspian energy projects. BP has reached closure with BOTAS on a deal for BTC completion. Woodward and Inglis fe [...] |
2006-05-30 03:36:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL PGOV AJ KZ |
06BAKU782 | PROTESTS IN IRAN CONTINUE TO MAKE NEWS IN [...] (U) The protests by Azeri-Iranians in northern Iran continue to supply a steady diet of news stories to an interested readership in Azerbaijan. The TURAN news agency cites unnamed Iranian sources to the effect that "tens of thousands" participated in a major protest in the Iranian city of Par [...] |
2006-05-30 12:57:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PINR ASEC IR AJ |
06BAKU803 | TURKS, OPPOSITION PARTIES ON AZERI-IRANIAN [...] (C) Emboff met with Turkish DCM Erhan Ozoral on May 31 to discuss the Azeri-Iranian demonstrations in Iran. Ambassador Morali was Turkey's Ambassador to Iran before coming to Azerbaijan, and Turkey has consulates in Tabriz and Urmiya. Morali had told Charge May 26 that the Turkish consulates in [...] |
2006-06-01 13:33:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PINR IR AJ |
06BAKU804 | AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT SUPPORTS U.S. ANNOUNCEMENT [...] (C/NF) Charge d'Affaires met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev June 1 to deliver reftel points on Iran. President Aliyev told Charge he would immediately instruct Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to follow-up on our request that the GOAJ issue a public statement welcoming the initiativ [...] |
2006-06-01 14:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV IR AJ |
06BAKU805 | AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT SUPPORTS U.S. ANNOUNCEMENT [...] (C) Charge d'Affaires met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev June 1 to deliver reftel points on Iran. President Aliyev told Charge he would immediately instruct Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to follow-up on our request that the GOAJ issue a public statement welcoming the initiative. [...] |
2006-06-01 15:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV IR AJ |
06BAKU811 | AZERBAIJAN: PRESIDENT'S REPUBLIC DAY ADDRESS NOTES [...] (U) Summary: In his May 26 Republic Day address President Aliyev underscored that the booming economy would positively impact the life of ordinary citizens as the GOAJ forcefully addressed the country's socio-economic problems. Aliyev made similar remarks to the nation May 29 when oil from the [...] |
2006-06-02 06:54:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN ETRD EPET PREL PGOV PINR AJ |
06BAKU812 | AZERBAIJAN: BILATERAL TAX TREATY NEGOTIATIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-06-02 06:56:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EFIN PREL PGOV AJ |
06BAKU813 | COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR EUR DEPUTY ASSISTANT [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to EUR Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew J. Bryza to travel to Baku 5-8 June 2006. Control officer will be Energy Officer Kerem Bilge. Mr. Bilge can be reached at the Embassy at: Email: BilgeKS@State.Gov Mobile: (994) ( [...] |
2006-06-02 08:15:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA OVIP AJ |
06BAKU824 | AZERBAIJAN: DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER EXPECTS [...] (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Vagif Sadiqov told Charge June 5 that he believed the violent protests in northern Iran by Iran's ethnic Azeri population had only temporarily abated. Sadiqov commented that the breath and scope of the protests underscored deeper discontent among the ethnic Azeri Ira [...] |
2006-06-05 12:19:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IR AJ |
06BAKU828 | EB/CBA SPECIAL REP FRANK MERMOUD ATTENDS FORUM FOR [...] (C) SUMMARY. Representatives from McDermott Caspian Construction, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Statoil and BP participated in the Charge's Energy Forum with Frank Mermoud on May 4. Many pointed out that while they want to do further projects in Azerbaijan, working levels of the GOAJ and SOCAR [...] |
2006-06-06 10:13:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV PINR AJ KZ |
06BAKU829 | EB/CBA SPECIAL REP FRANK MERMOUD MEETS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY. On May 4, EB/CBA Special Representative Frank Mermoud and Charge met with Natik Aliyev, Minister of Energy and Industry. Aliyev discussed the importance of BTC expansion and progress on the BTC and SCP energy export projects. On the domestic side, he said that Turkish energy di [...] |
2006-06-06 10:13:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ECON EPET PGOV PINR AJ |
06BAKU836 | AZERBAIJAN HOPES TO STRENGTHEN OIC'S INTERNATIONAL [...] (C) Summary: Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) Vagif Sadiqov told Charge June 5 that the GOAJ planned to use its chairmanship of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to expand the OIC's cooperation with regional bodies such as the OSCE, ASEAN and other organizations, on ter [...] |
2006-06-07 11:07:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KISL AJ |
06BAKU858 | EUR DAS BRYZA AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ALIYEV [...] (C) SUMMARY. EUR DAS Matt Bryza met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev June 6 to discuss Azerbaijan's growing role as energy supplier, its regional relations and Nagorno-Karabakh. Aliyev expressed strong and unambiguous support for the U.S. "Southern Corridor" Strategy to help Europe di [...] |
2006-06-12 12:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PINR AJ AM |
06BAKU930 | AZERBAIJAN TO OPEN CULTURAL OFFICE IN ISRAEL? [...] (C) According to Ilgar Mukhtarov, director of the Americas Desk at the MFA, Azerbaijan has serious plans to open a cultural office in Israel that it will begin to act on after the June OIC Summit in Baku concludes. Mukhtarov explained that an Embassy or even a Trade Mission would be too diffi [...] |
2006-06-22 10:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL IS AJ |
06BAKU934 | AZERBAIJAN: OIC MEETING ENDS QUIETLY [...] (SBU) With the hosting of the 33rd session of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Azerbaijan significantly raised its international profile. Presidential Advisor Novruz Mammadov told reporters that the fact the OIC occurred in Baku signaled "Azerbaijan's growing reputation in the wor [...] |
2006-06-23 15:43:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KISL IR AJ |
06BAKU946 | AZERBAIJAN: FIRES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES [...] (C) SUMMARY: For the past several weeks, fires in the Armenian-occupied territories of Aghdam, Khojavand, and Tartar have been a constant news item and subject of commentary by politicians and analysts. The Azerbaijani press and Members of Parliament (MPs) have focused on blaming Armenian forc [...] |
2006-06-27 13:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ |
06BAKU947 | BP JUNE UPDATE ON EAST-WEST ENERGY CORRIDOR [...] (C) SUMMARY. In his regular brief for Charge and British Ambassador, AIOC President David Woodward noted rising production in the ACG field and the first tanker lifting of BTC-delivered oil from Ceyhan. The gala ceremonies officially opening BTC in Ceyhan will take place July 12-13 and the G [...] |
2006-06-27 14:01:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL AJ KZ IR |
06BAKU948 | BAKU ENERGY COMMUNITY CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC ON [...] (C) Views in Baku of the Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on trans-Caspian oil recently signed in Almaty are positive if unenthusiastic. John Dabbar of ConocoPhillips considers the IGA to be "not that bad," as it includes "nothing hugely detrimental" to the project. A [...] |
2006-06-27 14:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | EPET ENRG PREL EWWT EINV AJ KZ |
06BAKU953 | AZERBAIJAN: CHAIRMAN OF STATE RELIGIOUS COMMITTEE [...] (C) In a June 27 announcement, President Aliyev dismissed Rafiq Aliyev, the Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Religious Associations (SCWRA). No reason was given publicly for Aliyev's dismissal. Aliyev (no relation to the president) was originally appointed in 2001 by Heydar Aliyev [...] |
2006-06-28 13:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
06BAKU974 | AZERBAIJAN: NORTH KOREAN MISSILE LAUNCHES [...] (SBU) Pol/Econ Chief delivered ref points on North Korean Missile Launches to MFA Americas Desk officer Elchin Bashirov on July 6. Bashirov said that although Azerbaijan was following this issue, because North Korea is not geographically close to Azerbaijan, he did not expect the MFA to issu [...] |
2006-07-06 10:36:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PARM KNNP KN AJ |
06BAKU980 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Summary: During the Ambassador's July 3 introductory call, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan would need U.S. help to secure access to European gas markets and develop a new Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. Noting the dangers of over-reliance on the energy sector, the Ambassador urg [...] |
2006-07-06 13:59:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM ENRG EPET ETRD IZ AJ |
06BAKU989 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON ECONOMIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her July 7 introductory meeting with Minister of Economic Development Heydar Babayev, Ambassador Derse raised the importance of WTO membership, development of the non-oil sector, energy security and development of the banking sector. Babayev noted that he was not satisfied with [...] |
2006-07-10 16:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD EPET AJ IR RU ABLD |
06BAKU991 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON FIRST DEPUTY [...] (C) SUMMARY: In her introductory call on First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub Eyyubov, the Ambassador discussed the U.S.- Azerbaijani bilateral relationship. She urged the Cabinet of Ministers to move forward quickly on a letter designating the Azerbaijani Navy as a partner in the Weapons of Mass [...] |
2006-07-11 05:55:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS PARM PTER KNNP AJ |
06BAKU992 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON PRIME MINISTER [...] (C) Summary: During the Ambassador's July 4 introductory call, Prime Minister Rasizade urged the U.S. to consider the root causes of terrorism. The Ambassador responded that U.S. policy focuses on eliminating terrorism by giving people hope in the future, and urged Azerbaijan, as Chair of the [...] |
2006-07-11 08:01:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM ETRD ECON KISL IR AJ |
06BAKU993 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON PRESIDENTIAL [...] (C) Summary: During her July 7 introductory call on Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev, the Ambassador reviewed U.S. priorities for the bilateral relationship -- global security, energy security, and political and economic reform -- emphasizing that continued reform is essential for [...] |
2006-07-11 08:25:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS ECON ETRD KDEM PHUM AM AJ |
06BAKU994 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON FIRST TRANSITION TO IRAQI [...] (C) Ambassador delivered ref a points to Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on July 3, emphasizing that the transfer of security responsibility from the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) to Iraqi civilian authorities in Muthanna province represents significant progress. Mammadyarov welcomed th [...] |
2006-07-11 08:28:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL NATO IZ AJ |
06BAKU996 | AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY MEETINGS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the Ambassador's introductory calls, executives from BP and other international energy companies operating in Azerbaijan painted a complex picture of fragmented leadership within Azerbaijan's energy sector, indecision within the GOAJ over whether to move forward on new energy p [...] |
2006-07-11 12:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EPET ENRG PREL PINR RU AJ |
06EFTOBAKU1149 | STATENET HF RADIO CHECK - NET10 [...] (U) NET: EUR10 2. (SBU/NF) NET CONTROL: KBF95 3. (U) TEST DATE: August 1, 2006 4. (SBU/NF) Authentication (s) used: USKAA-515 ED: E 5. (SBU/NF) Network Members and Test Results: POST CALL SIGN CHAN SIG AUTH ASHGABAT KBF70 FAILED N/A N/A TBILISI [...] |
2006-08-04 04:40:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ACOA AMTC KRIM KWIR |
06EFTOBAKU1165 | STATENET HF RADIO CHECK - NET10 [...] (U) NET: EUR10 2. (SBU/NF) NET CONTROL: KBF95 3. (U) TEST DATE: August 8, 2006 4. (SBU/NF) Authentication (s) used: USKAA-515 ED: E 5. (SBU/NF) Network Members and Test Results: POST CALL SIGN SIG AUTH ASHGABAT KBF70 FAILED TBILISI KBR29 89% [...] |
2006-08-08 11:41:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ACOA AMTC KRIM KWIR |
06EFTOBAKU1204 | STATENET HF RADIO CHECK - NET10 [...] (U) NET: EUR10 2. (SBU/NF) NET CONTROL: KBF95 3. (U) TEST DATE: August 15, 2006 4. (SBU/NF) Authentication (s) used: USKAA-515 ED: E 5. (SBU/NF) Network Members and Test Results: POST CALL SIGN Channel SIG AUTH ASHGABAT KBF70 FAILED TBILISI [...] |
2006-08-15 06:17:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ACOA AMTC KRIM KWIR |
06EFTOBAKU1420 | STATENET HF RADIO CHECK - NET10 [...] (U) NET: EUR10 2. (SBU/NF) NET CONTROL: KBF95 3. (U) TEST DATE: August 29, 2006 4. (SBU/NF) Authentication (s) used: USKAA-515 ED: E 5. (SBU/NF) Network Members and Test Results: POST CALL SIGN Channel SIG AUTH ASHGABAT KBF70 ch 3 73 T [...] |
2006-09-28 10:51:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ACOA AMTC KRIM KWIR |
06EFTOBAKU1453 | STATENET HF RADIO CHECK - NET10 [...] (U) NET: EUR10 2. (SBU/NF) NET CONTROL: KBF95 3. (U) TEST DATE: 0ct 5, 2006 4. (SBU/NF) Authentication (s) used: USKAA-515 ED: E 5. (SBU/NF) Network Members and Test Results: POST CALL SIGN Channel SIG AUTH ASHGABAT KBF70 ch 3 76 TBILI [...] |
2006-10-05 10:09:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ACOA AMTC KRIM WIR |
07BAKU1000 | A LOOK AT AZERBAIJAN'S CONTROVERSIAL DRAFT LAW ON [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's draft law on education remains mired in controversy. Although key Members of Parliament (MPs) predicted that the new law was scheduled to be discussed in the 2006-2007 Parliamentary session, debate has been deferred until the fall of 2007. The key sticking point a [...] |
2007-08-10 04:00:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV KDEM SCUL KOCI AJ |
07BAKU1006 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV SAYS USG, AZERBAIJAN ALIGNED ON [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an August 2 meeting with DAS Bryza, President Aliyev said that USG and GOAJ energy policies were "perfectly aligned." Azerbaijan had just that day signed an Energy MOU with Greece. The GOAJ was increasing gas production, and ready to negotiate with British Petroleum (BP) ab [...] |
2007-08-10 12:21:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG ETRN TX AJ RS |
07BAKU1007 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV SAYS USG, AZERBAIJAN ALIGNED ON [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an August 2 meeting with DS Bryza, President Aliyev said that USG and GOAJenergy policies were "perfectly aligned." Azerbajan had just that day signed an Energy MOU with reece. The GOAJ was increasing gas production, nd ready to negotiate with British Petroleum (BP) about p [...] |
2007-08-10 12:21:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG ETRN TX AJ RS |
07BAKU1008 | AZERBAIJAN: CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE DEMARCHE [...] On August 3, Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Human Rights Attache Hamid Nasibov. Poloff left the points in reftel paragraph ten as a non-paper, along with Ms. Felice Gaer's CV. While Nasibov had no comment, he promised to pass the non-papers to his superi [...] |
2007-08-10 12:24:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREL UNGA AJ |
07BAKU1009 | FARHAD ALIYEV TRIAL UPDATE [...] (SBU) The trial of former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev and 18 co-defendants on charges of corruption and embezzlement continues to progress slowly in the Court of Grave Crimes in Baku. Per reftel, the trial began on May 15 and the proceedings have now lasted more than 60 da [...] |
2007-08-10 12:43:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL |
07BAKU1010 | AZERBAIJANI OFFICIALS GRATEFUL FOR US TRANSPARENCY [...] (C) Summary: In response to EUR DAS Bryza and Charge's delivery of reftel B demarche points, Azerbaijani officials have said that they welcome the exchange of information, and support continued U.S.-Russian consultations on President Putin's missile defense proposals. The Azerbaijani Govern [...] |
2007-08-10 12:52:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL MARR RU IR AJ |
07BAKU1011 | SCENESETTER FOR EEB A/S SULLIVAN'S AUGUST 15-16 [...] (C) Summary: Your August 15-16 visit to Baku presents an opportunity to advance energy cooperation and showcase Azerbaijan's role as an energy producer and regional transit hub, including growing Trans-Caspian cooperation. With Shah Deniz Phase II gas scheduled to become available for export [...] |
2007-08-10 13:11:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECON ENRG ETRD PGOV AJ |
07BAKU1017 | AHMADINEJAD TO VISIT BAKU AUGUST 21-22 [...] (C) n August 13, the Azerbaijani Ministry of ForeignAffairs (MFA) notified the Embassy that Iranian Prsident Ahmadinejad will be visiting Baku August 1-22. The MFA provided no further details about he visit. 2. (C) During an August 9 meeting wih the then-Charge, Presidential Foreign Poli [...] |
2007-08-14 12:56:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1018 | AZERBAIJAN: 2007 REPORT ON INVESTMENT DISPUTES AND [...] (U) Sensitive but unclassified. This cable contains proprietary business information and should be handled accordingly. 2. (U) This cable responds to request in reftel for information on current business disputes and expropriation claims for inclusion in the Department's annual report to [...] |
2007-08-14 13:27:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV KIDE PGOV AJ |
07BAKU102 | AMBASSADOR RAISES POL-MIL CONSULTATIONS, HUMAN [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov reviewed a range of bilateral issues on January 18. The Ambassador and Mammadyarov agreed on the need to make our annual political-military consultations more fruitful, suggesting that the next round could be held in the spr [...] |
2007-01-23 10:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV MARR MASS PHUM AMGT ABLD AJ |
07BAKU1029 | AZERBAIJANI BAPTIST PASTOR IMPRISONED [...] (SBU) Emboff met with Baku-based Baptist leader Ilya Zenchenko on August 14 to learn more about the recently concluded trial of Baptist Pastor Zaur Balaev. Per reftel, Balaev, a pastor in the northwestern village of Aliabad, was arrested on May 20. Balaev was charged with using violence ag [...] |
2007-08-17 12:02:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM AJ |
07BAKU1030 | AZERBAIJAN: DAS BRYZA TALKS ENERGY WITH GOAJ [...] (C) SUMMARY: In DAS Bryza's discussions with the Foreign Minister, Energy and Industries Minister and Minister of Economic Development, all three agreed that USG and GOAJ strategic outlook on regional energy issues were in sync. Moving forward, the USG and GOAJ should focus on bringing Turkmen [...] |
2007-08-17 13:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AJ ENRG |
07BAKU1033 | CLARIFICATION ON AZERBAIJAN'S REPORTING ON UNSCR [...] No summary [...] |
2007-08-20 08:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PARM PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1037 | VISIT TO ONE OF AZERBAIJAN'S MOST NOTORIOUS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: An OSCE-led delegation visited Gobustan Prison One - notorious for abuses, mysterious deaths, and restive inmates -- to assess conditions and meet with prisoners. The delegation met with Elchin Amiraslanov, Arif Kazimov, and Safa Poladov, three individuals determined to be pol [...] |
2007-08-20 09:59:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PGOV PREL PINS SOCI AJ |
07BAKU1042 | AZERBAIJAN'S RELATIONS WITH CHINA [...] (C) SUMMARY: Relations between Azerbaijan and China are warm, with the potential for increased economic cooperation in select spheres, particularly Chinese exports of consumer goods and investment in manufacturing projects such as the Ganja automobile assembly plant. China,s involvement in [...] |
2007-08-21 11:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ECON AJ CH GG TU |
07BAKU1043 | ISLAM IN AZERBAIJAN: A LOOK AT SHIA VILLAGES ON [...] (C) Summary: An August 17 trip to several conservative villages on the Absheron Peninsula revealed small, insular communities with conservative social and religious traditions, and a strong skepticism of the GOAJ-controlled Caucasus Muslim Board. The communities, religious practices -- like [...] |
2007-08-21 12:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL IR AJ |
07BAKU1049 | AZERBAIJAN PERTURBED BY TGI ANNOUNCEMENT, TURKISH [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an August 3 meeting with EUR DAS Bryza, SOCAR Vice-President Elshad Nassirov expressed displeasure at the July 26 MOU signed among Turkey, Greece and Italy, saying these countries should not have come to an agreement about "our gas," including gas from the second phase of Shah [...] |
2007-08-22 11:33:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ ENRG |
07BAKU1052 | AHMADINEJAD IN BAKU [...] (C) Summary: Iranian President Ahmadinejad's August 21-22 visit to Baku received extensive positive coverage, with Ahmadinejad's "peace for all" message coming across well with the Azerbaijani press. While we have not yet obtained information on the full range and nature of agreements reach [...] |
2007-08-22 13:13:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1053 | WAC PRESIDENT ON IRAN AND THE AHMADINEJAD VISIT TO [...] (C) Summary: Speaking with Embassy Iran Watcher on August 22, World Azerbaijanis Congress (WAC) President Ghulamriza Sabri-Tabrizi said that Iranian President Ahmadinejad's August 21-22 visit to Baku was driven by domestic political considerations and a desire to ensure that Azerbaijan preve [...] |
2007-08-22 13:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU106 | A/S LOWENKRON'S LUNCH WITH RELIGIOUS ANALYSTS [...] (C) Summary: At a December 19 lunch hosted by A/S Lowenkron and the Ambassador, independent religious analysts argued that several foreign Islamic ideas and practices -- specifically from Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia -- are influencing the traditionally tolerant variant of Islam within Azer [...] |
2007-01-24 07:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM KISL IR AJ |
07BAKU1060 | EEB A/S SULLIVAN'S ENERGY DISCUSSIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his August 15-16 visit to Baku, GOAJ officials echoed President Aliyev's frustration with Turkey for reaching a deal with Greece and Italy on "Caspian gas;" Finance Minister Sharifov also complained that Turkish Energy Company BOTAS was not empowered to negotiate the many [...] |
2007-08-23 05:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ ENRG EPET KZ PBTS PGOV PREL TU TX |
07BAKU1062 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV REVIEWS REGIONAL ENERGY WITH EEB [...] (C) Summary: In an August 15 meeting with visiting EEB A/S Sullivan and the Ambassador, President Aliyev affirmed his support for U.S. energy security goals and said continued bilateral cooperation was essential. Characterizing his recent trip to Kazakhstan as "successful," Aliyev said the [...] |
2007-08-23 10:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG ECON RU TU TX KZ AJ |
07BAKU1063 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV REVIEWS THE BILATERAL ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary: In an August 15 meeting with visiting EEB A/S Sullivan and the Ambassador, President Aliyev said that he recognized the need to diversify Azerbaijan's economy and also was aware of the dangers of inflationary pressures. Aliyev hopes to address these issues by combining the State [...] |
2007-08-23 10:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD PGOV PREL KCOR IR AJ |
07BAKU1066 | EEB A/S SULLIVAN'S ENERGY DISCUSSIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his August 15-16 visit to Baku, GOAJ officials echoed President Aliyev's frustration with Turkey for reaching a deal with Greece and Italy on "Caspian gas;" Finance Minister Sharifov also complained that Turkish Energy Company BOTAS was not empowered to negotiate the many [...] |
2007-08-24 04:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ ENRG EPET KZ PBTS PGOV PREL TU TX |
07BAKU1067 | AZERBAIJANI ISLAMIC STRUCTURE'S [...] (C) Summary: The Caucasus Muslim Board (CMB) -- the official GOAJ establishment for administering Islam -- is a legacy from the Czarist and Soviet approach to religion, and is responsible for the education and placement of imams throughout Azerbaijan. The CMB -- and its leader, Sheikh Alla [...] |
2007-08-24 04:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL KCOR AJ |
07BAKU1068 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV REVIEWS THE BILATERAL ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary: In an August 15 meeting with visiting EEB A/S Sullivan and the Ambassador, President Aliyev said that he recognized the need to diversify Azerbaijan's economy and also was aware of the dangers of inflationary pressures. Aliyev hopes to address these issues by combining the State [...] |
2007-08-24 04:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD PGOV PREL KCOR IR AJ |
07BAKU1069 | AZERBAIJANI ISLAMIC STRUCTURE'S LAGGING LEGITIMACY [...] (C) Summary: The Caucasus Muslim Board (CMB) -- the official GOAJ establishment for administering Islam -- is a legacy from the Czarist and Soviet approach to religion, and is responsible for the education and placement of imams throughout Azerbaijan. The CMB -- and its leader, Sheikh Alla [...] |
2007-08-24 04:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL KCOR AJ |
07BAKU107 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER [...] (C) Ambassador briefed Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov January 18 on reftel A points about President Bush's policy announcement on Iraq. The Ambassador explained that the points were previously briefed to Deputy Foreign Minister Khalafov (reftel B). 2. (C) Mammadyarov responded [...] |
2007-01-24 07:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PGOV PREL AJ IZ |
07BAKU1070 | BP COMPLAINS OF DETERIORATING RELATIONS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: During an August 21 meeting, BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader expressed frustration with GOAJ efforts to collect certain taxes from BP and its subcontractors, an action Schrader characterized as a violation of BP's Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). Managing Director of th [...] |
2007-08-24 11:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ ECON ENRG EPET IR PGOV PREL TX |
07BAKU1071 | FORMER MINISTER FARHAD ALIYEV'S CORRUPTION TRIAL [...] (SBU) Fifteen weeks after its May 15 opening session, the trial of former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev continues, with no end in sight. Aliyev and 18 co-defendants, including his brother, former AzPetrol Head Rafig Aliyev, stand trial on charges of corruption and embezzlemen [...] |
2007-08-24 12:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCOR AJ |
07BAKU1072 | PRESIDENTIAL FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR PROVIDES [...] (C) Summary: According to Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov, Iranian President Ahmadinejad sought to use his August 21-22 visit to Baku to counter his international isolation. Mammadov said the visit - including four new bilateral agreements and a joint declaration - serve [...] |
2007-08-24 13:52:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG ETRN PBTS PGOV PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1074 | AZERBAIJANI-IRANIAN JOINT STATEMENT [...] (SBU) Per reftel, Azerbaijan and Iran signed four memoranda and one joint statement during President Ahmadinejad's August 21-22 visit to Baku. The Embassy's informal translation of the key points from the August 22 joint follows: 2. (SBU) Begin translation of key points: - Recognizing [...] |
2007-08-27 12:45:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ENRG ETRN PBTS PGOV PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1078 | EEB A/S SULLIVAN DISCUSSES EPC FOLLOW-UP WITH [...] (C) Summary: During his August 15-16 visit to Baku, EEB A/S Sullivan discussed economic cooperation and reviewed progress and next steps within the framework of the Economic Partnership Commission (EPC) with his EPC Co-Chair Minister of Finance Sharifov. Sharifov reported that the GOAJ planne [...] |
2007-08-28 07:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD KCOR PGOV PREL |
07BAKU108 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJAN'S FOREIGN [...] (C) Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on January 18. The Ambassador said that the January 26 NATO Informal Foreign Ministerial will focus on a more comprehensive approach to Afghanistan, including new USG commitments, and emphasized that t [...] |
2007-01-24 07:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS NATO PGOV PINS PK PREL AJ |
07BAKU1084 | CIVIL SOCIETY SKITTISH ABOUT GOVERNMENT PLANS TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Aliyev's July 27 decree outlining the GOAJ's new concept on NGOs, including a provision for future state funding for NGOs, triggered an immediate, negative reaction from key civil society activists. Supporters of the new plan claim that state funding will relieve NGOs f [...] |
2007-08-28 13:27:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1085 | EEB A/S SULLIVAN DISCUSSES AZERBAIJAN'S ECONOMIC [...] (C) Summary: During his August 15-16 visit to Baku, EEB A/S Sullivan discussed economic cooperation with the American Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, President of the State Oil Fund Movsumov, Minister of Economic Development Babayev, Minister of Finance Sharifov (septel), and local in [...] |
2007-08-29 04:34:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ ECON EFIN ETRD KCOR PGOV PREL |
07BAKU1093 | FARHAD AND RAFIG ALIYEV ATTEMPT TO DISMISS THEIR [...] (C) In an August 28 trial session, former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev and his brother, former AzPetrol Head Rafig Aliyev, announced their intention to dismiss their defense attorneys. According to the Aliyev brothers, the courts' actions have made it impossible for their de [...] |
2007-08-31 04:51:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCOR AJ |
07BAKU1096 | UPDATE ON BUILDING COLLAPSE AND GOVERNMENT RESPONSE [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) confirmed that 13 people have died so far as a result of the August 28 collapse of a building under construction. An unknown number of other individuals may be trapped in the building's basement. The GOAJ opened a criminal case against the con [...] |
2007-08-31 12:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON CASC PREL AJ |
07BAKU1099 | FORUM ON KARABAKH ADVOCATES SETTING A DEADLINE FOR [...] (C) Summary: Representatives from the Forum on Karabakh -- a nascent association of opposition-leaning individuals -- on August 29 told the Ambassador that their organization is increasingly impatient with the Minsk Group process due to its lack of progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh c [...] |
2007-09-04 12:59:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS AM AJ |
07BAKU1110 | RECOVERY WORK CONTINUES AT COLLAPSED BUILDING, [...] (U) On September 4, the Ministry of Emergency Situations' (MES) Agency for Safety Rules in the Construction Sector published its initial report on the causes of the August 28 collapse of a building under construction in central Baku. According to MES experts, the building collapse was caused by [...] |
2007-09-07 12:21:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV ECON CASC KCOR ABLD AJ |
07BAKU1112 | BAKU AIRPORT SECURITY OFFICIALS ARRESTED ON TIP [...] (SBU) On September 6, police arrested Head of Baku Airport Security Emil Suleymanov and an unconfirmed number of other airport officials on charges of facilitating trafficking in persons. According to press reports, an anonymous source said that Suleymanov helped traffickers transport victims [...] |
2007-09-07 12:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR KCRM KWMN AJ |
07BAKU1124 | IMF BELIEVES GOAJ UNDERSTANDS RISKS OF EXCESSIVE [...] (C) SUMMARY. IMF Azerbaijan Country Manager Vitali Kramarenko briefed the Ambassador September 5 on the IMF's latest staff visit, characterizing it as the most positive of his tenure. He said that the GOAJ understood the political and economic dangers of high inflation and excessive fiscal s [...] |
2007-09-12 06:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL AJ |
07BAKU1140 | COE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER THOMAS HAMMARBERG'S [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 3-7 trip to Baku, the Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg met with a wide range of GOAJ officials, NGO activists, high-profile prisoners, and representatives of international organizations. Hammarberg told the Ambassador that the Co [...] |
2007-09-17 09:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1141 | AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER DISCUSSES AHAMDINEJAD [...] (C) Summary. During a September 11 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said Iran increasingly supports Iraq's territorial integrity, but President Ahmadinejad will not change his position on Iran's nuclear program. During President Ahmadinejad's August visit to Baku, t [...] |
2007-09-14 08:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG PHUM KDEM KNNC MARR IR AJ |
07BAKU1143 | BAKU HOSTS IRAQI TURKOMEN CONFERENCE [...] (SBU) A delegation of Iraqi Turkomen came to Baku September 4-5 to raise awareness about the plight of Turkomen in Iraq. The delegation met with Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov, Presidential Foreign Policy Aide Novruz Mammadov, opposition party representatives, and other Azerbaijani [...] |
2007-09-14 08:57:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM PBTS AJ IZ |
07BAKU1148 | AZERBAIJAN COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR DRL OFFICER [...] Embassy Baku warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to DRL Iran desk officer Kate Lurie to travel to Baku September 25-27 to participate in Iran-related meetings with embassy and government officials. Control officer will be Political Officer Rebecca Naslund. Ms. Naslund can be reache [...] |
2007-09-19 06:05:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | OTRA PHUM UK TR IR AJ |
07BAKU1151 | CONVICTED MP HUSSEIN ABDULLAYEV SHARES HIS SIDE OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: Former Member of Parliament (MP) Hussein Abdullayev -- arrested and convicted following a March 16 scuffle with fellow MP Fazail Aghamaly - shared his side of the story in a September 12 meeting. Abdullayev believes he was set up, arguing that Aghamaly initiated the fight after [...] |
2007-09-19 07:07:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM INR AJ |
07BAKU1160 | FURTHER GOAJ RESPONSE ON OSCE HDIM [...] (C) Pol/Econ Chief delivered ref A demarche on the upcoming OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) to MFA First Territorial Department Chief Rahman Mustafayev on September 17. (Per ref B, the Ambassador also delivered the demarche to Foreign Minister Mammadyarov on September 11. [...] |
2007-09-20 08:58:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AJ |
07BAKU1165 | FARHAD ALIYEV'S TRIAL BEGINS WRAPPING UP; [...] (U) Only a handful of trial sessions have been held since our last update (ref) in the case of former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev, who stands trial with 17 other defendants, including his brother, former AzPetrol head Rafig Aliyev. The defense has begun its rebuttal, and se [...] |
2007-09-20 13:31:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCOR AJ |
07BAKU1170 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED: ENCOURAGING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SPECIAL TRIBUNAL FOR LEBANON [...] (SBU) A/DCM delivered reftel demarche to Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev on September 21, noting Foreign Minister Mammadyarov's interest in the Lebanon crisis during the summer of 2006 and Azerbaijan's growing role as an international donor. Mammadguliyev responded that internat [...] |
2007-09-21 12:00:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | UNSC LE AJ PREL PTER |
07BAKU1175 | SECOND UN COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE DEMARCHE [...] (U) On September 21, Pol/Econ Chief delivered the second UN Committee Against Torture demarche per ref a to Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev. She left the points from ref b as a nonpaper, along with Ms. Gaer's CV. Mammadguliyev had no substantive comment on the demarche, but promi [...] |
2007-09-24 12:34:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL AJ |
07BAKU1186 | UK ENERGY MINISTER PROMOTES SOUTHERN CORRIDOR IN [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a September 20 visit to Azerbaijan, UK Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks sought to express UK support for the Southern Corridor, and to urge Azerbaijan to reach out to the EU in order to strengthen cooperation on energy security. Speaking of the UK's regional energy policy, a U [...] |
2007-09-26 12:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AJ TK ENRG |
07BAKU119 | AZERBAIJAN: WEBSITE DETAINEE RELEASED AFTER YOUTH [...] (SBU) Police arrested and briefly detained Bakhtiyar Hajiyev January 13 after Hajiyev had set up a website (www.susmayaq.biz) on January 9 that enabled citizens to sign a web-based petition objecting to the GOAJ's recent price hike (ref a). In a January 18 meeting with poloff, Hajiyev reported [...] |
2007-01-25 09:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1199 | AZERBAIJAN COMMERCIAL UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 2007 [...] Summary: This information is drawn primarily from the Azerbaijani local press, and has not been checked for accuracy. The opinions and policies expressed in this report are those of the authors, not the U.S. Government. SOUTH KOREAN INVESTMENT PROJECTS 2. On September 5, President Ilha [...] |
2007-09-28 12:24:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV ETRD ENRG EFIN AJ |
07BAKU1207 | 2008 BUDGET FORECASTS ANOTHER LARGE INCREASE IN [...] (SBU) The Cabinet of Ministers approved the 2008 state budget on September 25 and sent it to the President's office for approval and final submission to Parliament. Exact details regarding the composition of the budget have not yet been disclosed publicly. According to initial press reports, [...] |
2007-10-02 07:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN EAID AJ |
07BAKU1208 | "CREDIBLE VOICES" IN MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN [...] (C) Per reftel request, we propose the following three individuals as "credible voices" in Azerbaijan,s Muslim communities. We note that there is a very small number of candidates who meet the criteria due to several factors: (1) the GOAJ seeks to monopolize the playing field of credible Is [...] |
2007-10-02 08:11:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV KISL AJ |
07BAKU1211 | DEPUTY FM ON TURKMENISTAN, IRAN AND HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an October 2 meeting with the Ambassador, Deputy Foreign Minister (responsible for bilateral relations) Khalaf Khalafov provided a readout on recent talks between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, urging the U.S. to do more to persuade the Government of Turkmenistan why the trans-Cas [...] |
2007-10-03 12:52:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ENRG PHUM KDEM KNNC IR AJ |
07BAKU1212 | JOURNALIST BEATEN AND OPPOSITIONIST COMMITTED TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the exclave of Nakhchivan, between September 22 and 23, Yeni Musavat newspaper correspondent Hakimeldostu Mehdiyev was reportedly detained and beaten by Nakhchivan Ministry of National Security (MNS) officials. On September 20, Alasgar Ismayilov, a Popular Front Party (PFP) m [...] |
2007-10-03 14:28:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM SOCI AJ |
07BAKU1224 | AZERBAIJAN-BP NEGOTIATIONS: LET THE HARDBALL BEGIN [...] (C) SUMMARY: Negotiations between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and BP concerning the second stage of Azerbaijan energy sector development have broken down due to SOCAR's insistence on first resolving shorter-term issues involving potentially billions of dollars. Although SOCAR [...] |
2007-10-05 13:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG AJ |
07BAKU1227 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV ON ENERGY ISSUES IN ADVANCE OF [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a one-hour one-on-one meeting with the Ambassador on October 8, President Aliyev outlined with frustration current problems on energy in advance of the Vilnius Summit. British Petroleum (BP) is "stealing our oil," he asserted sharply, seeking to put pressure on Azerbaijan to delay t [...] |
2007-10-09 14:14:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG PREL PGOV RS TU UP KZ PL GG LH TX AJ |
07BAKU1230 | COORDINATING OUR DEMOCRACY MESSAGE IN AZERBAIJAN [...] (C) Summary: On October 5, the Ambassador convened a group of like-minded ambassadors to discuss coordination of our democracy strategies in the run-up to Azerbaijan's 2008 presidential election. The EU will issue its first progress report on Azerbaijan's EU Action Plan in April 2008, and th [...] |
2007-10-10 11:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV KDEM PHUM AJ |
07BAKU1236 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED: REAFFIRMING U.S. ENERGY [...] (C) The Ambassador delivered ref a points on the upcoming Tehran Caspian Sea Summit in an October 9 telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. (Mammadyarov had just returned to Baku and was about to depart for the Vilnius Energy summit.) Speaking guardedly, Mammadyarov r [...] |
2007-10-11 12:47:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | ENRG ETTC PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1237 | SCENESETTER FOR AZERBAIJANI FINANCE MINISTER [...] (C) Summary: As the GOAJ's leading economic advisor, a new "reformist" Minister and member of President Aliyev's inner circle, Finance Minister Samir Sharifov is key to the GOAJ's efforts to successfully manage its GDP growth of 35 percent and projected USD 200-250 billion in energy revenues [...] |
2007-10-11 13:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN ETRD ENRG PREL PGOV AJ |
07BAKU1238 | AZERBAIJAN WILL HELP GEORGIA WITH WINTER GAS BUT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan finds itself in a better situation to deal with regional winter gas shortages than in previous years due to both Shah Deniz gas and increased domestic (i.e. SOCAR) gas production, combined with decreased domestic demand resulting from price increases. Although Preside [...] |
2007-10-11 13:16:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG AJ TU GA |
07BAKU1239 | AZERBAIJAN DOING BUSINESS EASIER; TRANSPARENCY NOT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's ranking in the 2008 World Bank/IFC "Doing Business" report improved five positions, to 96 of 178, due primarily to the April 2007 Presidential decree instructing government ministries and agencies to develop a plan to improve the business climate, including developing [...] |
2007-10-16 06:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PREL KCOR EAID AJ |
07BAKU1244 | RECENT STEPS HIGHLIGHT GOAJ'S ATTEMPT TO CONTROL [...] (C) Summary: In September, two television programs about Islam were canceled or temporarily suspended, reportedly in response to GOAJ pressure. In an unrelated incident, the rector of the Azerbaijani Teachers' Institute in September sought to keep veiled female students from attending classe [...] |
2007-10-16 12:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL AJ |
07BAKU125 | GOAJ APPROVES OPPOSITION MUSAVAT PARTY REQUEST TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: On January 24, the Baku Mayor's Office granted permission to the opposition Musavat Party to hold a January 28 rally protesting recent price increases. This decision marks the first official approval of any protest or rally since the November 26, 2005 violent break-up of a peacefu [...] |
2007-01-25 14:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM CASC ASEC AJ |
07BAKU1250 | AZERBAIJAN: INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST BEATEN WHILE [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the course of covering a forced eviction on September 28, journalist Suheyla Gambarova reportedly was beaten by Ministry of Justice court bailiffs, and was hospitalized and diagnosed with hemorrhaging of the brain, a broken nose and short-term memory loss. In an October 4 hos [...] |
2007-10-18 08:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KCOR AJ |
07BAKU1251 | ALASGAR ISMAYILOV RECOUNTS DETENTION, FORCED [...] (C) SUMMARY: On October 10, 71-year old Popular Front Party activist Alasgar Ismayilov recounted the details of his September 20 detention and forced commitment to a mental institution. Ismayilov said he was detained by police after refusing to sign a statement declaring that Nakhchivani aut [...] |
2007-10-18 08:18:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1255 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH COMMITTEE TO DEFEND [...] (C) Summary: During an October 11 meeting, Jamil Hasanli, Head of the Committee to Defend Farhad Aliyev's Rights, told the Ambassador that the former Minister had been arrested on coup-plotting charges in October 2005 as part of a Russian intelligence effort to sway public opinion in the run-up [...] |
2007-10-18 13:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1263 | SECOND CASPIAN SUMMIT IN TEHRAN YIELDS LITTLE [...] (C) Summary: Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) Araz Azimov downplayed the importance of the October 16 Tehran summit, indicating that the Government of Azerbaijan (GOAJ) doubted any significant progress would be reached on Caspian delimitation. Russian President Putin's public state [...] |
2007-10-19 12:00:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS ENRG IR AJ |
07BAKU1264 | AZERBAIJAN'S NOMINATION FOR THE 2008 SECRETARY'S [...] (U) We are pleased to nominate Fatima Aghamirzayeva to be considered for the Secretary of State's Award for International Women of Courage (ref). In Azerbaijan, very few women are active in business or politics; however, Ms. Aghamirzayeva has been a trailblazer in both areas. As a young wido [...] |
2007-10-19 12:17:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KWMN KDEM KPAO AJ |
07BAKU1265 | AZERBAIJAN: U.S. SPEAKER ON AVIAN INFLUENZIA ROBERT TANAKA [...] Summary: Embassy Baku hosted a U.S. Speaker on Avian Influenza (AI) Dr. Robert Tanaka June 12 - 16. Tanaka held meetings at the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, State Veterinary Service, visited other organizations involved in health protection issues, and conducted a media interv [...] |
2007-10-19 12:19:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID EAGR KFLU KPAO AJ |
07BAKU1268 | AZERBAIJAN: SOCAR REFRAINS FROM “GOING KAZAKH†ON [...] (C) SUMMARY: During a October 19 steering committee meeting of the Azerbaijan International Oil Consortium (AIOC), the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), representing the Azerbaijan government, avoided declaring the Consortium in material breach of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) as it [...] |
2007-10-22 13:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG AJ |
07BAKU1272 | EMBASSY BAKU EXPANDS MUSLIM OUTREACH THROUGH [...] (SBU) Summary: The Embassy this year made a concerted effort to expand our outreach to Azerbaijani Muslims during Ramazan, as part of our broader, long-term effort to engage with local believers. Azerbaijan - a non-Arab, majority Muslim country with a strong secular tradition, a tradition of [...] |
2007-10-23 03:55:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PGOV PHUM KISL KPAO SCUL AJ |
07BAKU1273 | INFORMATION ON DAVID WALKER DELIVERED TO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-23 09:26:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AORC UN UNGA AJ |
07BAKU1275 | ACTION REQUEST: PRESS GUIDANCE ON THE FARHAD [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 2. 2. (SBU) As the trial of former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev wraps up (ref a), the need for definitive press guidance on his case has resurfaced. The Prosecutor has asked that Aliyev be sentenced to 11 years in pris [...] |
2007-10-23 12:46:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KCOR KPAO AJ |
07BAKU1276 | AZERBAIJANI PROTESTANTS SAY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS [...] (C) Summary: The Ambassador met with three local Protestant pastors on October 18 to hear their views on religious freedom. The pastors agreed that while religious freedom generally has increased since 1991, conditions have become worse for evangelical Christians in the last several years. [...] |
2007-10-23 13:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KIRF AJ |
07BAKU1284 | EU REPRESENTATIVE PETER SEMNEBY COMMENTS ON HIS [...] (C) Summary: EU Special Representative Peter Semneby reviewed his October 18 meeting with President Aliyev with the Ambassador on the same day. Aliyev told Semneby there was no agreement at the Caspian Heads of State meeting in Tehran. During the Caspian Summit, Turkmen President Berdimuha [...] |
2007-10-25 12:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS PHUM ENRG IR AM AJ |
07BAKU1285 | HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS BRIEF AMBASSADOR ON PACE [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-25 13:26:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1290 | DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTIONS [...] (U) On October 24, emboffs delivered reftel points on U.S. priority resolutions in the UN General Assembly's Third Committee to the Azerbaijani MFA's International Security Affairs Department (responsible for UN issues) and the MFA's Americas Desk. MFA International Security Affairs Departmen [...] |
2007-10-26 08:52:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KTIA UN AJ |
07BAKU1292 | AZERBAIJAN, RWE UPBEAT ON NABUCCO; BOTAS SHAKE-UP [...] (U) This is a joint Embassy Ankara - Embassy Baku cable. 2. (C) SUMMARY: According to an executive of German Energy Company RWE, in October 19 meetings with Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) and the Energy Ministry both expressed strong Azerbaijani support for the Nabucco pipeline pro [...] |
2007-10-26 10:48:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV ENRG AJ TU |
07BAKU1293 | AZERBAIJAN INFORMED OF DESIGNATIONS OF IRANIAN [...] (C) Ambassador delivered reftel non-paper and fact sheet to Azerbaijani Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov on October 26. Mammadov thanked Ambassador for informing him about the new designations, saying that Iran's continued intransigence on the nuclear issue was a "very sen [...] |
2007-10-26 11:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP PARM EFIN IR AJ |
07BAKU1294 | AZERBAIJAN - BAKU EAC MEETING [...] (S/NF) Ambassador convened an emergency meeting of the Emergency Action Committee (AMB, DCM, CON, DAO, DTRO EXBS, GRPO, MGMT, MSG, PD, Peace Corps, POL/ECON, RSO, USAID, Peace Corps) on October 28, 2007 at 1800 hours (local) to discuss Post's security posture in response to information receive [...] |
2007-10-28 17:02:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC CASC PTER AJ |
07BAKU1295 | EMBASSY BAKU TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO PUBLIC [...] (S) Per Reftel B, Embassy Baku informs the department that effective 0900 on October 29, 2007, the Mission will be temporarily closed to the public. The temporary closure to the public and minimal operations is in response to a terrorist threat (reftel A). The Embassy consulted with the Ops [...] |
2007-10-29 08:49:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | AEMR AJ AMGT ASEC CASC PTER |
07BAKU1296 | AZERBAIJAN - BAKU EAC MEETING 10/29/07 [...] (S/NF) Ambassador convened a meeting of EAC members (AMB, DCM, CON, DAO, GRPO, MGMT, MSG, PD, POL/ECON, RSO,) on October 29, 2007 at 1715 hours (local) to discuss the Embassy's security posture in response to information received from the GOAJ Ministry of National Security (MNS) regarding a t [...] |
2007-10-29 16:27:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | AJ ASEC CASC PTER |
07BAKU1297 | AZERBAIJAN - BAKU EAC MEETING, 10/30/2007 [...] (S/NF) The Ambassador convened a meeting of EAC members (AMB, DCM, CONS, DAO, GRPO, MGT, MSG, ODC, Peace Corps, PD, POL/ECON, and RSO) on October 30, 2007 at 1530 to review the latest information and our current security posture in response to a specific threat against the U.S. Embassy (refte [...] |
2007-10-30 14:17:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC CASC PTER PINR AJ |
07BAKU1306 | JOURNALIST EYNULLA FATULLAYEV CONVICTED OF [...] (SBU) On October 30, already-jailed journalist Eynulla Fatullayev was sentenced to eight years and six months' imprisonment on charges of supporting terrorism, inciting ethnic and religious hatred, and tax evasion (articles 214.1, 283.2.2, and 213.2.2 of the criminal code); he was also fined 2 [...] |
2007-10-31 12:41:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1309 | IRAN AND ARMENIA PURSUE STRONGER TRADE TIES, WHILE [...] (U) This message has been cleared by Embassy Yerevan. 2. (C) Summary: During an October 1-5 visit to Armenia, Baku-based Iran Watcher met with foreign policy analysts, religious leaders, academics, and bankers to further explore Iranian-Armenian relations. Armenian analysts believe Iran' [...] |
2007-11-01 07:10:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PBTS PGOV PHUM PREL KIRF IR AJ AM |
07BAKU131 | GOAJ RAISES SALARIES AND MINIMUM WAGE TO COUNTER [...] (U) At a January 22 meeting with government ministers, President Aliyev publicly expressed his support for the recent increase in fuel prices and public utility tariffs (refs a and b). The President also announced new government measures, including salary increases, in order to minimize the n [...] |
2007-01-26 12:32:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EFIN PGOV PREL EAID AMGT AJ |
07BAKU1310 | EX-MINISTER FARHAD ALIYEV SENTENCED TO TEN YEARS [...] (U) On October 31, former Minister of Economic Development Farhad Aliyev was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment on charges of misappropriation, embezzlement, illegal entrepreneurship, smuggling, tax evasion, abuse of power, accepting bribery, and forgery (articles 179.3.1, 179.3.2, 192.2.1, [...] |
2007-11-01 11:09:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KCOR AJ |
07BAKU1311 | SCENESETTER FOR EUR A/S FRIED'S NOVEMBER 3-5 VISIT [...] (S) Summary: Dan, your visit could not come at a better time. With the ongoing security threat to the Embassy, your visit will underscore that we continue to engage actively, and at high levels. In the first place, it will be important to reinforce with this government that Azerbaijan's co [...] |
2007-11-01 13:07:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PHUM KDEM ENRG PINR PBTS IR RU AJ |
07BAKU1318 | AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTIAL FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR ON [...] (C) Summary: During an October 26 meeting with Azerbaijani Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov, the Ambassador had a frank and productive discussion with Mammadov about the state of the U.S.-Azerbaijani bilateral relationship. While Mammadov said that issues such as democrat [...] |
2007-11-02 06:33:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1319 | AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR SAYS TEHRAN SUMMIT [...] (C) Summary: During an October 26 meeting with the Ambassador, Azerbaijani Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov provided a read out of the recent Tehran Caspian Summit (reftel). Mammadov affirmed Azerbaijan's long-standing position that it does not need a five-party agreement [...] |
2007-11-02 06:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS PREL ENRG MARR IR AJ |
07BAKU132 | AZERBAIJAN: NABUCCO COMES TO BAKU LOOKING FOR TEN [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a January 25 conversation with the Ambassador, OMV Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer said that the purpose of his first visit to Azerbaijan was to begin the quest for a contract with Azerbaijan for ten billion cubic meters of gas annually starting in 2012-2013, wh [...] |
2007-01-26 13:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG AZ TU GA PREL PGOV |
07BAKU1320 | AZERBAIJAN'S "NEW" PARLIAMENT SETTLES INTO ITS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Azerbaijan's "new" Parliament, which was elected in November 2005, began its fourth session on October  [...] |
2007-11-02 08:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM EAID AJ |
07BAKU1326 | BAKU EAC MEETING - 11/2/07 [...] (S/NF) The DCM convened a meeting of EAC members (DCM, DAO, DOJ, GRPO, MSG, PD, POL/ECON, and RSO) on November 2 at 1500 to review the latest information and our current security posture in response to a specific threat against the U.S. Embassy (reftel). GRPO reported that the Azerbaijani Mi [...] |
2007-11-02 13:00:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC CASC PREL PTER PINR AJ |
07BAKU1330 | PRESIDENT'S STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH: ECONOMIC [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an October 23 cabinet meeting, President Aliyev detailed the social and economic successes of the first nine months of 2007. In a prepared statement, Aliyev commended the Government of Azerbaijan's (GOAJ) efforts to create jobs, develop the rural areas and improve the living [...] |
2007-11-06 10:17:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON PGOV EAID PREL KCOR EFIN AJ |
07BAKU1331 | FM MAMMADYAROV REVIEWS CASPIAN DELIMITATION, IRAN [...] (C) Summary: During a November 2 meeting, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said that he was optimistic that a delimitation deal with Turkmenistan was possible. Mammadyarov suggested that the U.S. assist Azerbaijan by helping to draft a joint declaration outlining the median line as t [...] |
2007-11-06 11:20:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS PREL ENRG MARR IR TX AJ |
07BAKU1337 | AZERBAIJANI PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT STAND WITH [...] (C) Summary: In the run-up to Turkish President Abdullah Gul's November 6-8 visit to Azerbaijan, GOAJ officials, MPs, opposition party members, and civil society activists voiced support for Turkey in its struggle against the PKK. A November 5 conference in Baku, which included participants [...] |
2007-11-07 13:12:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PTER TU IZ AJ |
07BAKU1338 | AZERBAIJAN COMMERCIAL UPDATE, OCTOBER 15-30, 2007 [...] SUMMARY: This information is drawn primarily from the Azerbaijani local press, and has not been checked for accuracy. The opinions and policies expressed in this report are those of the authors, not the U.S. Government. END SUMMARY. --NEW BAKU INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT --AIC EXPANDING PORTFO [...] |
2007-11-08 05:01:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | ECON EINV ETRD ENRG EFIN AJ |
07BAKU1339 | AZERBAIJAN: ACG CONSORTIUM GAS FOR GEORGIA IF [...] (C) SUMMARY: BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader told EUR DAS Bryza and the Ambassador that the ACG Consortium was not going to increase the amount of extra associated gas it was providing to Azerbaijan in response to Georgian winter gas needs unless the GOAJ asked it to do so in response to [...] |
2007-11-08 05:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL ENRG AJ GA |
07BAKU1348 | AZERBAIJAN PASSES NEW INSURANCE LAW [...] (U) On October 9, Azerbaijan's parliament passed an updated Law on Insurance Activity that the Ministry of Finance indicates is a first step to raising Azerbaijan's domestic insurance up to the International Association of Insurance Supervisors'(IAIS) standards. The World Bank and other inter [...] |
2007-11-09 07:29:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD ENRG EFIN AJ |
07BAKU135 | BLANKET OVERFLIGHT GRANTED BY AZERBAIJAN UNTIL THE [...] (SBU) The Government of Azerbaijan has extended for one year blanket diplomatic overflight clearance for all US Government and contract flights in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in Iraq. The GOAJ renewed this important support fo [...] |
2007-01-26 14:42:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AJ PGOV PM PTER MARR |
07BAKU1352 | BAKU EAC MEETING - 11/9/07 [...] (S/NF) DCM convened an EAC meeting on November 9 at 1400 to review the latest information concerning an ongoing threat against the Embassy (reftel) and the Embassy's security posture in response to this threat. DCM, CONS, GRPO, IMC, IMO, MSG, POL/ECON and RSO attended. GRPO reported that Az [...] |
2007-11-09 12:21:00 | Embassy Baku | SECRET//NOFORN | ASEC CASC PREL PINR PTER AJ |
07BAKU1353 | EDITOR OF ONE OF AZERBAIJAN'S LEAST REPUTABLE [...] (SBU) On November 6, Editor-In-Chief of Ideal newspaper Nazim Guliyev was sentenced to 30 months' imprisonment on libel charges. Ideal newspaper is known as one of Azerbaijan's least reputable newspapers, as Guliyev is widely believed to accept bribes to slander opposition figures, other jour [...] |
2007-11-09 12:45:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1354 | A/S FRIED'S DINNER WITH AZERBAIJANI RELIGIOUS [...] (C) Summary: At a November 4 dinner in honor of visiting EUR A/S Fried, leading religious analysts agreed that religiosity was on the rise in Azerbaijan, but disagreed on whether radicalism was also on the rise. Those who argued that radicalism was on the rise attributed it to a mix of fore [...] |
2007-11-13 09:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM KDEM KISL IR AJ |
07BAKU1355 | NGO AND POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS SHARE CONCERNS [...] (C) SUMMARY: During his November 4 meetings with NGO and political party leaders, EUR A/S Fried noted the importance of a strong Azerbaijan with strong democratic institutions. Although it is not always popular with the GOAJ, he said that Azerbaijan's democratic development would remain a prio [...] |
2007-11-13 09:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1356 | AZERBAIJAN: EUR A/S FRIED REVIEWS DEMOCRACY AND [...] (C) Summary: EUR A/S Fried and the Ambassador reviewed democracy and human right issues with Foreign Minister Mammadyarov in a November 5 meeting, as part of our ongoing high-level dialogue (ref a). Fried emphasized that free and fair presidential elections in 2008 would strengthen Azerbaij [...] |
2007-11-13 09:49:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM KIRF PBTS AM AJ |
07BAKU1357 | PRESIDENT ALIYEV REVIEWS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH EUR [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Aliyev told A/S Fried that, although he was pleased with Azerbaijan,s overall economic and social situation, he was concerned by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the potential for religious extremism in Azerbaijan. Aliyev believes that Ukraine's paralysis and Moldova' [...] |
2007-11-13 09:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ |
07BAKU1358 | EUR A/S FRIED DISCUSSES DEMOCRATIC REFORMS WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a November 5 meeting with Presidential Chief of Staff Ramiz Mehdiyev, EUR Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried raised the importance of further developing Azerbaijan's institution building, ensuring transparent and free presidential elections in 2008, and supporting a free press. [...] |
2007-11-13 10:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | KDEM PREL PHUM ECON AJ |
07BAKU1359 | AZADLIG NEWSPAPER EDITOR ARRESTED, SENTENCED TO [...] (SBU) On November 10, Editor-In-Chief of Azadlig newspaper Ganimat Zahid was arrested on charges of hooliganism and inflicting minor bodily harm. The charges were based on a complaint filed by a private citizen, alleging that Zahid had struck him during a November 7 altercation. Prior to his [...] |
2007-11-13 12:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
07BAKU136 | AZERBAIJAN,S APPROACH TO THE "NEW" GUAM [...] (C) SUMMARY: In the past year, Azerbaijan's primary interest in GUAM appears to have been regional security, especially resolving the region,s "protracted" or "frozen" conflicts. As Azerbaijan prepares to assume the Chair of GUAM in June, Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said GUAM should f [...] |
2007-01-30 06:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PBTS KDEM AJ GG MD UP |
07BAKU1360 | AZERBAIJAN: DEMARCHE CONDEMNING RAPE DELIVERED [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-14 09:09:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC KWMN SOCI UNGA |
07BAKU1361 | EUR A/S FRIED REVIEWS DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS [...] (C) SUMMARY: uring a November 5 meeting with visiting EUR A/SDaniel Fried, Minister of Internal Affairs RamilUsubov said that the Ministry planned to continue to support the democratic reforms and western direction of President Ilham Aliyev. He noted that various democratic and human rights re [...] |
2007-11-14 09:09:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1362 | TURKISH PRESIDENT GUL RECEIVES WARM WELCOME IN BAKU [...] (C) Summary: Turkish President Abdullah Gul's November 6-8 visit to Azerbaijan highlighted strong cooperation and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey. President Aliyev and President Gul's statements focused on broadening bilateral cooperation, resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict [...] |
2007-11-14 12:05:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV TU AJ |
07BAKU1365 | AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT DISCUSSES N-K, DEMOCRACY WITH [...] (C) SUMMARY: President Aliyev told A/S Fried and the Ambassador on November 3 that "there was a consensus" on the essential N-K issues, with the only remaining barriers being "phraseology" and the Lachin Corridor. Time was on Azerbaijan's side in the N-K dispute, as every year Azerbaijan gro [...] |
2007-11-15 09:24:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AJ |
07BAKU1377 | AZERBAIJAN INFORMED OF FATF STATEMENT AND GUIDANCE [...] (C) Ambassador delivered reftel talking points to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on November 02. Thanking the Ambassador for informing him about the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) statement and guidance on Iran, Mammadyarov was supportive, saying that he had encouraged t [...] |
2007-11-15 11:27:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL MNUC ECON IR AJ |
07BAKU1378 | AZERBAIJAN INFORMED OF DESIGNATIONS OF IRANIAN [...] (C) After delivering reftel non-paper and fact sheet to Azerbaijani Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov on October 26 (ref b), the Ambassador discussed the same points with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on November 02 (ref c). After thanking the Ambassador fo [...] |
2007-11-15 11:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP PARM EFIN IR AJ |
07BAKU1382 | AZERBAIJANI DFM AZIMOV DISCUSSES AZERBAIJAN'S [...] (C) Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) Araz Azimov and Ambassador Derse met November 12 to discuss several security-related issues (septels), including Azerbaijan's participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty and the "Tashkent Agreement." Azimov told the Ambassador [...] |
2007-11-16 10:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ IR MARR MNUC PARM RS |
07BAKU1383 | AZERBAIJANI DFM AZIMOV SAYS "DON'T FORGET US" ON [...] (C) Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister (DFM) Araz Azimov and Ambassador Derse met November 12 to discuss several security-related issues (septel). Azimov asked the Ambassador for an update on the 2-plus-2 talks between the United States and Russia, with a particular interest in missile defen [...] |
2007-11-16 11:00:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL AJ IR MARR MNUC PARM RS |
07BAKU1385 | ACTION REQUEST: LIMITING AZERBAIJAN'S ENERGY [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 2. 2. (C) Embassy requests that the Critical Energy Infrastructure Interagency group chaired by S/CT consider possible modalities for assisting the GOAJ to identify and design a plan for minimizing its energy infrastructure vulnerabilit [...] |
2007-11-16 11:40:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ENRG EPET PTER MARR MASS PBTS IR AJ |
07BAKU1388 | THE VANISHING AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION [...] (C) Summary: The Azerbaijani Opposition has been in a steady decline since the 2005 parliamentary elections, beleaguered by government pressure and its own chronic disunity. According to a 2006 IFES public opinion poll, support for the traditional opposition parties has dropped to five perc [...] |
2007-11-16 12:29:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ PGOV PHUM |
07BAKU1389 | WESTERN AZERBAIJAN: REGIONAL NON-OIL SECTOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Econoffs visited a range of private and primarily agricultural companies in western Azerbaijan around Azerbaijan's second largest city, Ganja, to discuss regional development in the non-oil sector. The team met with Ganja's regional governor, visited the newly opened regional ai [...] |
2007-11-16 13:04:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON EAGR EAID USDA AJ |
07BAKU1394 | DEMARCHE ON UNGA THIRD COMMITTEE RESOLUTION [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-20 04:19:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM PREL KTIA UN BL AJ |
07BAKU1396 | AZERBAIJAN: SOCAR DOES "RECON MISSION" TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Vice President Elshad Nasirov traveled to Ashgabat for the November 14-15 Turkmenistan International Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, meeting with his GOTX counterparts on possible new energy cooperation. Having consulted with President Aliye [...] |
2007-11-21 09:39:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV PBTS ENRG TX AJ |
07BAKU1397 | TURKIC CONFERENCE IN BAKU PASSES WITH LIMITED [...] (C) Summary: President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus President Mehmet Ali Talat attended the eleventh Turkic conference in Baku on November 17-19. The conference's final statement called for enhanced cooperation -- including cre [...] |
2007-11-21 10:37:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV TU AJ |
07BAKU1398 | APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS RULING ON AZADLIG EDITOR'S [...] (SBU) On November 22, the Court of Appeals upheld the Yasamal District Court's November 11 ruling stipulating that Azadlig newspaper Editor-In-Chief Ganimat Zahid would remain in pre-trial detention for two months. Zahid was arrested on November 10 on charges of hooliganism and inflicting mino [...] |
2007-11-23 09:35:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1399 | AZERBAIJAN AND BP-LED CONSORTIUM MOVE CLOSER TO [...] (C) SUMMARY: In an October 26 meeting with DAS Bryza, BP Azerbaijan head Bill Schrader said that BP planned to propose to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) that a working group be formed to help clarify each side's understanding of the other side's position concerning the dispute ove [...] |
2007-11-23 10:06:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV AJ ENRG |
07BAKU1404 | AMBASSADOR DELIVERS DEMOCRACY MESSAGE IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: During a November 7 visit to the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, the Ambassador delivered a strong message on the importance of democratic development to Azerbaijan's future. She met with Nakhchivan Prime Minister Alovsat Bakhshiyev, and visited several Nakhchivani historic [...] |
2007-11-26 09:38:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM PBTS EAID AR AJ |
07BAKU1406 | AMBASSADOR'S MEETING WITH YOUTH MOVEMENT LEADERS [...] (C) SUMMARY: On November 8, the Ambassador met with leaders of Azerbaijan's main youth movements. She noted the important role youth can play in Azerbaijan's democratic development. Representatives of the opposition movements expressed frustration that their activities are limited by pressu [...] |
2007-11-26 12:50:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM AJ |
07BAKU1407 | ACTION REQUEST: REVIEW OF AZERBAIJAN'S MILITARY [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 2. 2. (SBU) Embassy requests the Department review Azerbaijan's draft military doctrine to see if there is any language -- particularly with respect to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict -- that could be objectionable. The draft military do [...] |
2007-11-27 04:42:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PBTS MARR AJ |
07BAKU1408 | REVIEW OF AZERBAIJAN'S FIRST NATO INDIVIDUAL [...] (C) SUMMARY: As Azerbaijan prepares to embark on a second NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP-2), it is clear that Azerbaijan,s first IPAP (IPAP-1) has played an important role in encouraging reform within the extremely conservative Ministry of Defense (MoD) and more broadly within [...] |
2007-11-27 06:44:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | AJ NATO |
07BAKU1411 | IRANIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER HADDAD-ADEL VISITS [...] (C) Summary: Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel visited Azerbaijan November 23-24, postponed due to a visit by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to Azerbaijan in October according to Azerbaijani and Iranian press reports. Haddad-Adel's visit received extensi [...] |
2007-11-28 05:11:00 | Embassy Baku | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS PGOV PREL IR AJ |
07BAKU1412 | JEWISH LEADER CONFIRMS CEMETERY DESTRUCTION NOT TARGETED [...] (U) Since August, the Azerbaijani press has carried periodic reports on the Baku municipality's plans to destroy a cemetery in the city's Narimanov district, as part of a new road construction project. The GOAJ is engaged in a massive road and infrastructure construction effort, and has been [...] |
2007-11-28 08:27:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL PHUM PGOV KIRF AJ |
07BAKU1413 | BAKUTEL: ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL IT CONFERENCE OPENS IN BAKU [...] (U) The 13th annual international exhibition and conference "Telecommunications and Information Technologies," known as Bakutel, was held in Baku November 21-24. The exhibition featured 152 exhibitors from 25 countries with organizers expecting 15,000 visitors this year. High ranking GOAJ offi [...] |
2007-11-28 11:26:00 | Embassy Baku | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD EINV ECPS BTIO AJ |
07BAKU1418 | EFFORTS TO UNIFY WORLD AZERBAIJANIS CON |