Iran fooling Azeri president over Caspian status – paper

Yeni Musavat, Baku
26 Jan 05

Excerpt from Elsad Pasasoy report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni
Musavat on 26 January headlined “Tehran has deceived the successor on
the Caspian issue” and subheaded “The mullahs present a car to Ilham
Aliyev”

[Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev held his first meeting during the
day [25 January] with Iranian parliament speaker Qolam-ali Hasan
Habili [as published, presumably Qolam-ali Hadad Adel, chairman of the
Mejlis or parliament], as the two decided to expand bilateral
relations. Then, he met the chairman of Iran’s Islamic Council,
(Haftad Adel?) [as published]. In talks with the chairman of the
Expediency Council, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Nagornyy Karabakh was in
focus. It was also noted that Rafsanjani did not give any serious
reaction to Ilham Aliyev’s remarks that “Azerbaijan wants Iran to
influence Armenia economically”. Nagornyy Karabakh was also the focus
of a meeting with Iran’s supreme spiritual leader, Ali Khamene’i.

[Passage omitted: other meetings and visits]

Tehran’s statement on the first day of Aliyev’s visit to Iran that it
will not make concessions to any country on the status of the Caspian
has dealt a serious blow to the efficacy of the visit. Official
Tehran, which made an earlier promise to discuss the Caspian issue as
well, “forgot” about this issue after having Aliyev visit and actually
deceived the Azerbaijani authorities. The head of the Azerbaijani
authorities wanted to mitigate Iran’s tough position on the Caspian
issue by visiting Iran at the cost of spoiling relations with the
West, but failed to achieve that.

Commenting on the successor’s Iran visit, political analyst Rasim
Musabayov said that Iran was expected to issue that statement.

“Some believed that if Aliyev visited Iran, there would be serious
progress on the division of the sea. But it has become clear with
Tehran’s statement that no serious progress is expected. It also means
that Tehran intends to dictate its position in the talks.”

The political analyst also commented on how the successor’s visit will
be viewed in the West. He noted that the response will depend on what
the basis and obligations for discussion during the visit were.

“Azerbaijan’s traditional position is not to let its territory be used
to threaten other countries. Naturally, all relations should be
maintained within the framework of international law. If Iran’s
nuclear weapons plans are discovered and the world, including relevant
UN entities, makes any decisions, it will be difficult to avoid
them. I do not think Azerbaijan will take a different position if
Europe and Turkey are against unilateral military operations [against
Iran].”

Musabayov said he does not believe that all issues will be resolved
during the visit. “There are big countries and their positions will
affect those of both Iran and Azerbaijan. On the one side, the USA is
threatening, but on the other side, the “trio” of Germany, France and
Britain are trying to get Iran onto the right path on the nuclear
weapons issue. I do not rule out that the USA is playing the ‘bad cop’
so that better proposals from the ‘good cop’ represented by the ‘trio’
can be carefully examined.”