Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06BAKU611, OPPOSITION MUSAVAT PARTY REMAINS ENGAGED IN

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06BAKU611.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06BAKU611 2006-04-21 03:40 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Baku
VZCZCXRO0082
PP RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHKB #0611/01 1110340
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210340Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0201
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 000611 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PGOV PREL IR AJ
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION MUSAVAT PARTY REMAINS ENGAGED IN 
DEMOCRATIZATION 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1. (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 
election reruns briefed the Ambassador on the increased 
administrative interference he has faced this time around. 
Gambar also reported that beyond elections, Musavat has been 
working to strengthen its regional support through regular 
issue-based forums.  This initiative has given Musavat a 
better sense of citizens' concerns outside of Baku, which 
Gambar said still remains heavily focused on increasing 
tensions between the USG and Iran.  Ambassador assured Gambar 
the USG was devoting all of its resources to achieving a 
diplomatic solution to the current situation.  END SUMMARY. 
 
MUSAVAT'S WARY ELECTION ENGAGEMENT 
---------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) During his farewell call on opposition Musavat Party 
Chairman Isa Gambar, the Ambassador noted the progress 
Azerbaijan has made during his tenure, but also assured 
Gambar the USG would remain engaged on all fronts.  In 
particular, Ambassador said the USG would focus its 
programming and advocacy on civil society, community 
development, human rights, and elections.  Gambar said he 
agreed on the importance of both the USG and local 
Azerbaijanis remaining engaged in the democratization 
process.  While he said he was not satisfied with the conduct 
of the November parliamentary elections, his party would 
nevertheless participate in the May 13 rerun elections.  He 
indicated Musavat candidates would begin their campaigns in 
earnest the week of April 17 and said he hoped the USG and 
other Western countries would demonstrate equal engagement. 
 
3. (SBU) Ambassador assured Gambar the USG would remain fully 
engaged in the process, including with support for exit 
polling, candidate training, finger inking, and observers. 
Arif Hajili, one of Gambar's deputies and a candidate from a 
northern Azerbaijan constituency, said that he appreciated 
the USG's support for the rerun elections but said the 
situation in his constituency was worse this time around than 
in November.  He said the local government authorities have 
been more overt in their support for his main opponent, who 
according to Hajili, is connected to the "oil barons" in 
Azerbaijan.  Infrastructure repairs and energy supplies are 
being provided by the candidate and according to Hajili, the 
local government has told its employees that if Hajili wins, 
the region will fall out of official Baku's favor. 
Ambassador responded that the USG would follow the race 
carefully and continue to push the GOAJ for a free, fair, and 
transparent election.  (Emboffs plan to travel to this region 
during the week of May 1). 
 
MUSAVAT TAKES ITS MESSAGE TO THE REGIONS 
---------------------------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) Gambar relayed that Musavat had begun its own 
"community development" projects in the regions through 
regular regional forums in the regions.  He reported that the 
party was working on building its regional organizational 
structure and to boost that structure, each region had held 
meetings in January and would do so again in April.  Gambar 
said he himself had attended some of the meetings, which in 
January were focused on the rerun elections, but in April 
supporters would discuss a broader political agenda. 
Explaining that the authorities in the regions have even 
limited his movements, Gambar said that continued engagement 
is necessary to lift restrictions on freedom of assembly, 
freedom of the media, and other civil rights. 
 
GAMBAR REMAINS CONCERNED ABOUT IRAN 
----------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Gambar noted with concern that during their travels, 
Musavat officials had noticed that concerns about Iranian 
influence in particular, but also Russian influence, are 
heightened in the regions.  He said that society in the 
regions is more split than in Baku, in particular because 
both Russia and Iran have strong networks of influence and 
use them to spread anti-American propaganda.  Iranian 
propaganda, he said, focuses on the "fact" that the USG plans 
to attack "peace-loving" Iran and that Azerbaijanis should 
side with their "Muslim brothers."  After November's 
elections, Gambar continued, society has lost some of its 
trust in the USG and its policies and anti-West propaganda is 
gaining more resonance.  Gambar said Musavat has been working 
to counteract this propaganda, specifically by labeling Iran 
a threat to the world and to Azerbaijan itself.  Gambar 
 
BAKU 00000611  002 OF 002 
 
 
concluded that Iran must understand the world's concern and 
voluntarily give up its nuclear ambitions.  Ambassador 
confirmed to Gambar that the USG is seeking a diplomatic 
solution to Iran's nuclear plans and that the USG would not 
forget Azerbaijan's security concerns with regard to its 
southern neighbor. 
HARNISH