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Viewing cable 08BAKU160, KOSOVO DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08BAKU160 2008-02-21 15:28 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Baku
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKB #0160 0521528
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211528Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4812
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 0201
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0827
C O N F I D E N T I A L BAKU 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/CARC AND EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PBTS UN AZ
SUBJECT: KOSOVO DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY 
FOREIGN MINISTER ARAZ AZIMOV 
 
REF: STATE 16319 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Anne E. Derse for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C)  The Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to Deputy 
Foreign Minister Azimov on February 20 (FM Mammadyarov was 
out of the country).  Despite Azerbaijan's opposition to 
Kosovo's independence, Azimov said, he had instructed the MFA 
to be "measured" in its public statements, making only two 
points: (1) Azerbaijan considers Kosovo's declaration of 
independence to be a violation of international law, which 
does not allow "unilateral secession" and (2) Kosovo must not 
be a precedent for other territorial disputes. He noted, in 
addition, that USG and others' recognition of Kosovo's 
independence is not in compliance with international law or 
OSCE principles. The Ambassador reviewed the USG's position 
in detail, with Azimov taking careful note and focusing, in 
particular, on its legal basis. 
 
2.  (C) Pointing to early reports of reactions by Bosnian 
Serbs, Azimov said the GOAJ is deeply concerned over a 
possible chain reaction by separatists elsewhere as a 
consequence of the Kosovo decision.  The Russians, he said, 
"promise repercussions."  It would be a "huge mistake" if 
this process spread to the South Caucasus, but Abkhaz, South 
Ossetian and NK separatists have already started making 
claims of independence.  This "can impact the NK negotiating 
process which is not solid and not promising."  The new 
President of Armenia, who shares President Kocharian's 
background, "will toughen the Armenian position and raise the 
flag of independence again." 
 
3.  (C) The Russians see their interests threatened by the 
Kosovo decision, Azimov, said, because "losing Kosovo means 
losing Serbia -- as Serbia becomes integrated into Europe and 
part of a progressive stable and politically developed region 
-- and that means, losing the Balkans." Russia is the 
"capital of troublemaking in the South Caucasus and the 
Balkans, and Bosnia is just the beginning" of their reaction. 
The Abkhaz and South Ossetians have already been invited to 
Moscow by the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.  NK was not 
invited because of the Armenian elections, he said, but NK 
separatist are now talking about independence, saying that NK 
declared independence 17 years ago, and if Kosovo's 
independence has been recognized, NK's should be recognized 
too. 
 
4.  (C) The bottom line is "who will win what" in the South 
Caucasus as a result of the Kosovo decision.  Losses, he 
warned, are possible.  He repeated again that while MFA was 
seeking explicitly "to be concise and unemotional, and not 
create a panic in the press," the GOAJ sees many threatening 
trends stemming from the Kosovo decision and is thinking hard 
about the impact. He told the Ambassador again on February 21 
that the GOAJ is carefully studying the USG position and 
developments, to determine next steps. 
 
5. (C) In a February 20 dinner with Senator Brownback, and a 
lunch with the Ambassador on February 21, Azerbaijani MP's 
argued that in the eyes of the Azerbaijani public, Kosovo 
demonstrates that the USG is a powerful international actor, 
and when it wishes, can impose solutions.  This will make it 
all the harder for the public to understand why despite years 
of negotiations, the USG has not imposed a solution in the 
case of Nagorno-Karabakh. The MP's noted that there will be a 
discussion of the decision in Parliament February 22. 
DERSE