VZCZCXRO4808
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHLA RUEHMOS RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHKB #0584 1070900
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 170900Z APR 06 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0163
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000584 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO H FOR CODEL KOLBE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2016 
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL IR AJ
SUBJECT: CODEL KOLBE DISCUSSES IRAN WITH AZERBAIJANI 
FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
 
Classified By: DCM JASON HYLAND FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D. 
 
¶1. (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 
in Iraq as long as necessary.  Mammadyarov also noted that 
the GOAJ has followed in detail developments in Iran and 
explained that Iran's nuclear aspirations are a multi-faceted 
problem and must be dealt with as such.  (Other issues 
septel).  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) During an April 13 call on Foreign Minister Elmar 
Mammadyarov, Chairman Kolbe thanked Mammadyarov for 
Azerbaijan's commitment to the Global War on Terrorism. 
Kolbe said Azerbaijan is a "stalwart friend" for contributing 
peacekeeping troops and providing overflight rights for 
access to Central Asia.  Foreign Minister Mammadyarov noted 
that Azerbaijan was a full member of the Coalition and 
despite other countries' intentions to withdraw, the GOAJ was 
committed to staying in Iraq as long as necessary.  He 
commented, though, that the lingering issue of Section 907 of 
the Freedom Support Act creates difficulties for security 
cooperation and asked for the Congressman's support in 
permanently repealing the legislation. 
 
IRANIAN NUKES: MORE SYMBOLIC THAN ARMAMENT 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) Mammadyarov, who stressed that the Azerbaijani 
government has very good knowledge of Iranian politics and 
events, also gave his thoughts on the current Iranian 
situation, noting that it is rare for a state to have been in 
existence for more than 2,000 years.  Before the overthrow of 
the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein in Iran, he 
said that both served to balance Iran's ambitions and 
leadership in the region.  Now that both checks on Iranian 
power had disappeared, Mammadyarov said there was a power 
vacuum in the Middle East, leaving Iran to do as it pleased. 
 
¶4. (C) Assessing the structure of the Iranian regime, 
Mammadyarov compared it to the Communist Party under the 
former Soviet Union.  He said the President of Iran has no 
power to act without the consent of the Supreme Council and 
as such, the GOAJ always requests meetings with the Council 
during visits.  Without the approval of the Council, he said, 
no agreement can be reached.  Mammadyarov said it was his 
personal belief the USG would have more success reaching a 
resolution from within rather than from without, and that 
discussions with Iran on Iraq might pave the way for such 
diplomatic contact. 
 
¶5. (C) Mammadyarov did not appear convinced that Iran was on 
the brink of obtaining nuclear weapons, commenting that more 
evidence was still needed that the country would actually 
acquire nuclear weapons if left alone.  He commented that 
Iran's announcement on April 12 about enriching uranium was 
intended more to irritate the international community and to 
bolster domestic pride than to indicate nuclear weapons were 
imminent.  Iran's Minister of Defense planned an official 
visit to Baku the week of April 17, he reported, and said the 
Azerbaijanis would be asking hard questions about Iranian 
intentions. 
 
¶6. (C) Agreeing with Chairman Kolbe that a nuclear Iran would 
lead to regional escalation, Mammadyarov related his 
conversation with the former Iranian Foreign Minister.  When 
Mammadyarov asked him why Iran was pursuing nuclear 
technology, the Iranian reportedly replied, "Pakistan has 
nukes, why shouldn't we?"  Overall, Mammadyarov assessed, 
Iranian society does not understand the implications of a 
nuclear explosion and had little sense of the danger or the 
impact on the ground such an event would cause.  He reasoned 
this ignorance came from a lack of literacy, religious 
influence, and the government's manipulation of the people 
for the sake of nationalist pride. 
 
¶7. (U) Codel Kolbe did not have the opportunity to review 
this cable. 
HARNISH