Tweet
http://azerireport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2922&Ite mid=53
WikiLeaks: Ilham Aliyev Complains About RFE/RL, Fears Turkey, Uses Gas
Sales to Russia As Leverage
WASHINGTON DC. September 3, 2011: The new WikiLeaks report discloses a
diplomatic cable from the US Embassy in Azerbaijan to the US State
Department dating January 23, 2009. The report reflects the
negotiations between the US diplomats and the Azerbaijani president
Ilham Aliyev during the turbulent period when the Aliyev government
decided to prohibit the broadcast of the RFE/RL, VOA, and BBC on FM
frequencies, and was heading towards changing the constitution (the
referendum was scheduled on March 18, 2009) to lift the two-term limit
on the presidency. The cable shows that during the negotiations with
the US envoy Matthew Bryza Ilham Aliyev tried to justify the ban on
the American broadcast of the American radio channels on FM
frequencies by arguing that it was a necessary step to allow the
Azerbaijani government to use the similar restrictions on the Russian
and Iranian propaganda through radio and TV. At the same time, Ilham
Aliyev did not hide his discontent with the American radio channel
RFE/RL. Namely, Ilham Aliyev was not happy with the letter of the
RFE/RL president Jeffrey Gedmin to the international media
[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/opinion/15iht-edlet.html?scp=1&sq=Jeffrey%20Gedmin%27s%20letter, %20December%2015,%202008&st=cse]
and the RFE/RL article which called Azerbaijan `the Turkmenistan of
the Caucasus' [http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan__Turkmenistan_Of_The_Caucasus/1369981.html].
At the time, the Azerbaijani government entered into negotiations with
the US government on returning the US radio channels to the FM
frequencies, apparently, to stall the possible backlash from the US in
response to the recent shutdown of FM broadcasting of those channels
in Azerbaijan. However, as the time passed, Azerbaijan forgot about
its promise to restore the FM broadcasting of the American radio
channels, and the US... got used to it. Below is the full text of the
report:
"C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000052
SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2009
TAGS: AJ ENRG ETRD IR KDEM PGOV PREL RS TU
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT COMMITS TO NEGOTIATIONS ON RESUMPTION
OF VOA, BBC, RADIO LIBERTY BROADCASTS
REF: A. BAKU 13
B. 08 BAKU 1076
C. 08 BAKU 1092
D. 08 BAKU 1093
E. 08 BAKU 1136
F. 08 BAKU 1153
G. 08 BAKU 1157
H. 08 BAKU 1178
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In a January 19 meeting with EUR DAS Bryza, President
Aliyev said that he had directed his staff to begin negotiations on
the resumption of VoA, BBC and Radio Liberty. He continued that he was
surprised by the January 13 letter from President Bush given his good
discussion with Deputy Secretary Negroponte on the same day. "The way
can be found. We do not want this to become a major issue for the next
administration," the President added. He then proceeded to criticize
sharply the content of Radio Liberty.
2. (C) SUMMARY CONTINUED: On the natural gas issue, the President
expressed frustration with Turkey about not being able to conclude a
gas transit arrangement. He said that Azerbaijan had been pursuing
possible gas sales to Russia only pressure Turkey to allow transit of
Azeri gas to the EU, but this was now "impossible" because of what
Gazprom has done in Ukraine and Europe. Finally, the President
revealed that he had given the instruction to stop the broadcasts of
popular Turkish soap operas because these programs were advancing an
Islamist agenda in Azerbaijan, including by showing women wearing
headscarves. He said he has also "informally requested" local TV
stations not to show women with headscarves, and that the rate of
headscarf wearing subsequently declined. END SUMMARY.
Commitment to Negotiations on the Radios
3. (C) In a January 19 meeting with EUR DAS Matthew Bryza and Charge,
President Ilham Aliyev restated the commitment he made to Deputy
Secretary Negroponte that there would be near-term negotiations on the
return of VoA, BBC, and Radio Liberty to the FM frequencies. He added
that immediately after the January 13 telephone call with the Deputy
Secretary, he had instructed the head of his political and social
department, Ali Hasanov, to begin negotiations.
4. (C) DAS Bryza emphasized that the USG hopes to find a constructive
way to return these broadcasts in the near-term. He added that one
formula for moving forward might be an intergovernmental agreement
allowing Azerbaijan to broadcast on U.S. cable channels. The Charge
noted that the Broadcast Board of Governors had invited Presidential
Advisor Hasanov for talks between January 23 and February 2. Hasanov
had said he was traveling and asked them to meet with the head of the
National TV and Radio Council instead. President Aliyev said that he
would again talk to Hasanov about beginning these talks soon.
5. (C) The President welcomed the approach outlined by Bryza, which
could provide Azerbaijan a pretext to restore RFE/RL broadcasts
without restoring state broadcasting from Russia and Iran. President
Aliyev complained that Russia and Iran refused to allow Azerbaijan to
broadcast to their respective Azeri communities, even as Russian and
Iranian stations tried to undermine political stability and promote
religious extremism in Azerbaijan through their broadcasts. President
Aliyev expressed surprise about the tone of President Bush's January
13 letter, noting that it came on the same day as the constructive
discussion with the Deputy Secretary. He added that he had personally
penned the response. He concluded, "The way can be found. We do not
want this to become a major issue for the next administration."
Sharp Words for Radio Liberty
6. (C) Despite agreeing to pursue a bilateral arrangement to restore
RFE/RL broadcasts based on the above formula or reciprocal broadcasts,
the President complained about the content and objectivity of Radio
Liberty, consistent with his earlier criticism (reftels). He began by
admitting that the decision to terminate the radios was based on three
reasons: -- (C) Azerbaijani law does not permit foreign broadcasts
(sic). -- (C) Preventing Iran and Russia from broadcasting on local
airwaves. -- (C) The content of Radio Liberty.
7. (C) The President particularly commented on the editorial tone of
Radio Liberty in December and January. He said that the December 15
letter from RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin to the International
Herald Tribune was very negative and not consistent with the
assurances Gedmin gave the President when he visited Azerbaijan.
"After Gedmin's visit, we hoped that there would be changes," the
President noted. He also complained about the mid-January article on
Radio Liberty's website that said Azerbaijan was becoming the
Turkmenistan of the Caucasus. President Aliyev was particularly upset
by a recent Radio Liberty broadcast, which he characterized as
attacking the GOAJ for building a park in honor of Azerbaijan's flag,
rather than spending on other social services. The President objected
to such "interference" in te GOAJ,s sovereign decisions, as it
attempts to foge a sense of nationhood.
8. (C) The Presidet said that Radio Liberty has selected people ony
from the opposition to work in their bureau here He said that the
local editor Khadija Ismayilova is a long-time opposition activist who
considers herself to be an enemy of the government. He concluded by
saying that the tone of Radio Liberty is reminiscent of the tone of
this station during Soviet times when it was trying to undermine the
Soviet Union. "Are we the same for America as the Soviet Union? It
seems strange for a strategic partner," he noted. Bryza responded that
Gedmin had offered a dialogue on content and encouraged the President
to pursue this dialogue. The President said that this would take time
and effort. Instead, the President said that they were looking for a
simple change in direction at Radio Liberty.
Using Gas Sales to Russia as Leverage
9. (C) Bryza briefed the President on his discussions in Turkey on gas
transit issues. The President revealed that Azerbaijan had been
exploring gas sales to Russia only to improve its negotiating position
with the Turks on transit. "Gazprom was never an option, but we used
the opportunity to ring the bell. Now after what they did to Ukraine
and Europe, this is impossible," the President declared.
10. (C) The President then expressed his frustration with Turkey over
the transit talks. "We have already lost two years on Shah Deniz Phase
II. I never could have believed that our closest friend would be
blockading us and denying our access to Europe. This has created a lot
of complications and I don't know what to do," he remarked. The
President worried that Turkey was demanding just enough gas from Shah
Deniz Phase II to leave an insufficient volume left over to allow
Southern Corridor projects to proceed with exports of Azerbaijani gas
to EU countries. Turkey,s underlying goal, according to the President,
was to keep Azeri gas captive to Turkey,s market, and thereby
strengthen Turkey,s ability to exact cheaper gas from Azerbaijan.
11. (C) The President complained that the current Turkish Government
is moving toward political Islam and away from secular democracy. He
said that he could not understand Erdogan's harsh attacks on Israel
with respect to Gaza in light of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan
remaining silent. He noted that Turkey was in essence supporting
pro-Iranian forces by siding with Hamas. "This will ruin everything
that Turkey has built in its relations with Israel, including
excellent economic, military and intelligence cooperation . . . With
Turkey having this position, it is difficult for us to continue our
joint foreign policy," the President commented.
Removing Headscarves from TV
12. (C) Expanding on his concern about the Turkish Government,s
promotion of Islamism, the President confided in Bryza that the reason
for the removal of Turkish soap operas from local TV broadcasts was
not because of the failure to broadcast in the Azerbaijani language
(the official basis of the decision from the National TV and Radio
Council). Instead, he directed that these programs be taken off the
air because they had been showing women wearing headscarves and that
this would have a negative influence in Azerbaijan. "When we see
Iranians covering their women we laugh, but the people here may take
it more seriously when they see the Turks covering their women." He
admitted that Azerbaijanis could easily understand these programs
without translation.
13. (C) Healso noted that he had made an "informal request" to the
local TV broadcasters to no longer show womn wearing headscarves. He
told them not to say nything bad about these women, but to no longer
nvite them to appear on television. He said tha this had an immediate
effect in Baku and he has seen fewer women wearing headscarves as a
result. (Comment: The Embassy has not observed such a change. End
Comment.)
14. (C) Finally, the President said that his government has discovered
religious fundamentalists in Azerbaijan sponsored by Turkey. The group
is called the "Ikramlar" (trans: the Respectful) and they have been
arrested seeking to infiltrate Azerbaijani military and police
academies. He said that he had personally viewed a video of these
individuals participating in a religious ritual. "They were like
animals." When Erdogan asked Aliyev to release them, Aliyev sent his
people (presumably the Ministry of National Security) to show Erdogan
a copy of this video. "We expect this from Iran, not Turkey,"
complained the President.
Comment
15. (C) Advocacy from Washington has helped propel the government to
accept negotiations over the resumption of radio broadcasts on FM
frequencies. It remains to be seen whether these negotiations start
promptly or show any progress in the near term. Aliyev's now common
refrain about the content of Radio Liberty suggests that these will be
difficult talks. The Embassy will continue to encourage the government
to accept Radio Liberty's offer of a dialogue about content. The
negotiations about the return of these broadcasts and the dialogue
about content must remain strictly separate.
16. (U) EUR DAS Bryza has cleared this message. DERSE"
WikiLeaks: Ilham Aliyev Complains About RFE/RL, Fears Turkey, Uses Gas
Sales to Russia As Leverage
WASHINGTON DC. September 3, 2011: The new WikiLeaks report discloses a
diplomatic cable from the US Embassy in Azerbaijan to the US State
Department dating January 23, 2009. The report reflects the
negotiations between the US diplomats and the Azerbaijani president
Ilham Aliyev during the turbulent period when the Aliyev government
decided to prohibit the broadcast of the RFE/RL, VOA, and BBC on FM
frequencies, and was heading towards changing the constitution (the
referendum was scheduled on March 18, 2009) to lift the two-term limit
on the presidency. The cable shows that during the negotiations with
the US envoy Matthew Bryza Ilham Aliyev tried to justify the ban on
the American broadcast of the American radio channels on FM
frequencies by arguing that it was a necessary step to allow the
Azerbaijani government to use the similar restrictions on the Russian
and Iranian propaganda through radio and TV. At the same time, Ilham
Aliyev did not hide his discontent with the American radio channel
RFE/RL. Namely, Ilham Aliyev was not happy with the letter of the
RFE/RL president Jeffrey Gedmin to the international media
[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/opinion/15iht-edlet.html?scp=1&sq=Jeffrey%20Gedmin%27s%20letter, %20December%2015,%202008&st=cse]
and the RFE/RL article which called Azerbaijan `the Turkmenistan of
the Caucasus' [http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan__Turkmenistan_Of_The_Caucasus/1369981.html].
At the time, the Azerbaijani government entered into negotiations with
the US government on returning the US radio channels to the FM
frequencies, apparently, to stall the possible backlash from the US in
response to the recent shutdown of FM broadcasting of those channels
in Azerbaijan. However, as the time passed, Azerbaijan forgot about
its promise to restore the FM broadcasting of the American radio
channels, and the US... got used to it. Below is the full text of the
report:
"C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000052
SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2009
TAGS: AJ ENRG ETRD IR KDEM PGOV PREL RS TU
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT COMMITS TO NEGOTIATIONS ON RESUMPTION
OF VOA, BBC, RADIO LIBERTY BROADCASTS
REF: A. BAKU 13
B. 08 BAKU 1076
C. 08 BAKU 1092
D. 08 BAKU 1093
E. 08 BAKU 1136
F. 08 BAKU 1153
G. 08 BAKU 1157
H. 08 BAKU 1178
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: In a January 19 meeting with EUR DAS Bryza, President
Aliyev said that he had directed his staff to begin negotiations on
the resumption of VoA, BBC and Radio Liberty. He continued that he was
surprised by the January 13 letter from President Bush given his good
discussion with Deputy Secretary Negroponte on the same day. "The way
can be found. We do not want this to become a major issue for the next
administration," the President added. He then proceeded to criticize
sharply the content of Radio Liberty.
2. (C) SUMMARY CONTINUED: On the natural gas issue, the President
expressed frustration with Turkey about not being able to conclude a
gas transit arrangement. He said that Azerbaijan had been pursuing
possible gas sales to Russia only pressure Turkey to allow transit of
Azeri gas to the EU, but this was now "impossible" because of what
Gazprom has done in Ukraine and Europe. Finally, the President
revealed that he had given the instruction to stop the broadcasts of
popular Turkish soap operas because these programs were advancing an
Islamist agenda in Azerbaijan, including by showing women wearing
headscarves. He said he has also "informally requested" local TV
stations not to show women with headscarves, and that the rate of
headscarf wearing subsequently declined. END SUMMARY.
Commitment to Negotiations on the Radios
3. (C) In a January 19 meeting with EUR DAS Matthew Bryza and Charge,
President Ilham Aliyev restated the commitment he made to Deputy
Secretary Negroponte that there would be near-term negotiations on the
return of VoA, BBC, and Radio Liberty to the FM frequencies. He added
that immediately after the January 13 telephone call with the Deputy
Secretary, he had instructed the head of his political and social
department, Ali Hasanov, to begin negotiations.
4. (C) DAS Bryza emphasized that the USG hopes to find a constructive
way to return these broadcasts in the near-term. He added that one
formula for moving forward might be an intergovernmental agreement
allowing Azerbaijan to broadcast on U.S. cable channels. The Charge
noted that the Broadcast Board of Governors had invited Presidential
Advisor Hasanov for talks between January 23 and February 2. Hasanov
had said he was traveling and asked them to meet with the head of the
National TV and Radio Council instead. President Aliyev said that he
would again talk to Hasanov about beginning these talks soon.
5. (C) The President welcomed the approach outlined by Bryza, which
could provide Azerbaijan a pretext to restore RFE/RL broadcasts
without restoring state broadcasting from Russia and Iran. President
Aliyev complained that Russia and Iran refused to allow Azerbaijan to
broadcast to their respective Azeri communities, even as Russian and
Iranian stations tried to undermine political stability and promote
religious extremism in Azerbaijan through their broadcasts. President
Aliyev expressed surprise about the tone of President Bush's January
13 letter, noting that it came on the same day as the constructive
discussion with the Deputy Secretary. He added that he had personally
penned the response. He concluded, "The way can be found. We do not
want this to become a major issue for the next administration."
Sharp Words for Radio Liberty
6. (C) Despite agreeing to pursue a bilateral arrangement to restore
RFE/RL broadcasts based on the above formula or reciprocal broadcasts,
the President complained about the content and objectivity of Radio
Liberty, consistent with his earlier criticism (reftels). He began by
admitting that the decision to terminate the radios was based on three
reasons: -- (C) Azerbaijani law does not permit foreign broadcasts
(sic). -- (C) Preventing Iran and Russia from broadcasting on local
airwaves. -- (C) The content of Radio Liberty.
7. (C) The President particularly commented on the editorial tone of
Radio Liberty in December and January. He said that the December 15
letter from RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin to the International
Herald Tribune was very negative and not consistent with the
assurances Gedmin gave the President when he visited Azerbaijan.
"After Gedmin's visit, we hoped that there would be changes," the
President noted. He also complained about the mid-January article on
Radio Liberty's website that said Azerbaijan was becoming the
Turkmenistan of the Caucasus. President Aliyev was particularly upset
by a recent Radio Liberty broadcast, which he characterized as
attacking the GOAJ for building a park in honor of Azerbaijan's flag,
rather than spending on other social services. The President objected
to such "interference" in te GOAJ,s sovereign decisions, as it
attempts to foge a sense of nationhood.
8. (C) The Presidet said that Radio Liberty has selected people ony
from the opposition to work in their bureau here He said that the
local editor Khadija Ismayilova is a long-time opposition activist who
considers herself to be an enemy of the government. He concluded by
saying that the tone of Radio Liberty is reminiscent of the tone of
this station during Soviet times when it was trying to undermine the
Soviet Union. "Are we the same for America as the Soviet Union? It
seems strange for a strategic partner," he noted. Bryza responded that
Gedmin had offered a dialogue on content and encouraged the President
to pursue this dialogue. The President said that this would take time
and effort. Instead, the President said that they were looking for a
simple change in direction at Radio Liberty.
Using Gas Sales to Russia as Leverage
9. (C) Bryza briefed the President on his discussions in Turkey on gas
transit issues. The President revealed that Azerbaijan had been
exploring gas sales to Russia only to improve its negotiating position
with the Turks on transit. "Gazprom was never an option, but we used
the opportunity to ring the bell. Now after what they did to Ukraine
and Europe, this is impossible," the President declared.
10. (C) The President then expressed his frustration with Turkey over
the transit talks. "We have already lost two years on Shah Deniz Phase
II. I never could have believed that our closest friend would be
blockading us and denying our access to Europe. This has created a lot
of complications and I don't know what to do," he remarked. The
President worried that Turkey was demanding just enough gas from Shah
Deniz Phase II to leave an insufficient volume left over to allow
Southern Corridor projects to proceed with exports of Azerbaijani gas
to EU countries. Turkey,s underlying goal, according to the President,
was to keep Azeri gas captive to Turkey,s market, and thereby
strengthen Turkey,s ability to exact cheaper gas from Azerbaijan.
11. (C) The President complained that the current Turkish Government
is moving toward political Islam and away from secular democracy. He
said that he could not understand Erdogan's harsh attacks on Israel
with respect to Gaza in light of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan
remaining silent. He noted that Turkey was in essence supporting
pro-Iranian forces by siding with Hamas. "This will ruin everything
that Turkey has built in its relations with Israel, including
excellent economic, military and intelligence cooperation . . . With
Turkey having this position, it is difficult for us to continue our
joint foreign policy," the President commented.
Removing Headscarves from TV
12. (C) Expanding on his concern about the Turkish Government,s
promotion of Islamism, the President confided in Bryza that the reason
for the removal of Turkish soap operas from local TV broadcasts was
not because of the failure to broadcast in the Azerbaijani language
(the official basis of the decision from the National TV and Radio
Council). Instead, he directed that these programs be taken off the
air because they had been showing women wearing headscarves and that
this would have a negative influence in Azerbaijan. "When we see
Iranians covering their women we laugh, but the people here may take
it more seriously when they see the Turks covering their women." He
admitted that Azerbaijanis could easily understand these programs
without translation.
13. (C) Healso noted that he had made an "informal request" to the
local TV broadcasters to no longer show womn wearing headscarves. He
told them not to say nything bad about these women, but to no longer
nvite them to appear on television. He said tha this had an immediate
effect in Baku and he has seen fewer women wearing headscarves as a
result. (Comment: The Embassy has not observed such a change. End
Comment.)
14. (C) Finally, the President said that his government has discovered
religious fundamentalists in Azerbaijan sponsored by Turkey. The group
is called the "Ikramlar" (trans: the Respectful) and they have been
arrested seeking to infiltrate Azerbaijani military and police
academies. He said that he had personally viewed a video of these
individuals participating in a religious ritual. "They were like
animals." When Erdogan asked Aliyev to release them, Aliyev sent his
people (presumably the Ministry of National Security) to show Erdogan
a copy of this video. "We expect this from Iran, not Turkey,"
complained the President.
Comment
15. (C) Advocacy from Washington has helped propel the government to
accept negotiations over the resumption of radio broadcasts on FM
frequencies. It remains to be seen whether these negotiations start
promptly or show any progress in the near term. Aliyev's now common
refrain about the content of Radio Liberty suggests that these will be
difficult talks. The Embassy will continue to encourage the government
to accept Radio Liberty's offer of a dialogue about content. The
negotiations about the return of these broadcasts and the dialogue
about content must remain strictly separate.
16. (U) EUR DAS Bryza has cleared this message. DERSE"