CASPIAN STUDIES PROGRAM Strengthening Democratic Institutions Project Harvard University

NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2001 Editor: Emily Van Buskirk

The Caspian Studies Program (CSP) newsletter highlights CSP events, publications, and research activi- ties. This issue focuses on the involvement of officials, scholars, and civil servants from the Caspian region at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

The Azerbaijan Tahir Kerimov, USACC Fellow and Senior Specialist of the Initiative: Rising President’s Foreign Relations Azerbaijani Leaders Department, plans to help Az- Come to Harvard erbaijan through its transition period while working for the Since their arrival seven months President’s office or in a gov- ago, three distinguished Azer- ernment ministry. baijanis have been adding a fresh perspective at Harvard’s Ramin Isayev (pictured) and his Azer- The third MPA student from Kennedy School of Govern- baijani classmates Fuad Akhundov and Azerbaijan, Ramin Isayev, is a Tahir Kerimov are helping put Azer- Senior Economist for Statoil ment while studying in a year- baijan on the map at KSG. long mid-career program that and aspires to improve his country’s economy. He recently leads to a Masters in Public The participation of Azerbaijani shared his impressions about his Administration (MPA). Fuad students in Kennedy School experience at the Kennedy Akhundov, Tahir Kerimov, programs is part of the Azer- School: “After listening to great and Ramin Isayev have baijan Initiative, a major com- leaders from the developing pushed the total number of ponent of Harvard’s Caspian world who have come to speak Kennedy School students from Studies Program. This Initiative at the School, and discussing the Caspian Region to a record includes US- Azerbaijan development issues with famous high of 10 (among them are Chamber of Commerce experts, I now understand that students from Russia, Azerbai- (USACC) fellowships that are sustainable development can be jan, Georgia, Armenia, and Ka- funding a total of four mid- achieved through a better un- zakhstan). career program students and ten derstanding of the interactions Executive Education Program among factors like geography, The three students from Azer- participants’ studies at the Ken- technology, and institutions.” baijan are outgoing ambassadors nedy School over a three-year for their country, and have period. stimulated interest in Azerbaijan In addition to these three stu- dents, two Azerbaijani officials, through informal and formal USACC Fellow Fuad Akhun- an NGO leader, and an aca- discussions. At the same time, dov, Senior Inspector at the demic administrator have com- they have been forming ideas National Central Bureau of In- pleted Kennedy School Execu- about how best to help their terpol, has career plans that ni - tive Education Programs on country’s democratic and eco- clude working on a system of USACC Fellowships. Elmina nomic development upon their legal education for Azerbaijan. return home. Kazimzade, Deputy Director

Caspian Studies Program 1 of the Open Society Institute- Isayev gave a slide presentation Azerbaijan’s President Heydar Azerbaijan, came to the Ken- on Azerbaijan, and Fuad Ak- Aliyev and former U.S. national nedy School in May to study hundov responded to questions security advisor Zbigniew Strategic Public Sector Negotia- about the conflict with Armenia Brzezinski delivered speeches. tions. Afghan Abdullayev, who over Nagorno-Karabagh with Brenda Shaffer joined Ambas- was then Dean of the School of an impromptu history lecture on sadors Hafiz Pashayev and Humanities at Khazar Univer- the topic. Stephen Sestanovich, Foreign sity, enrolled in a course on Minister Vilayat Guliyev, and “Leadership for the 21st Cen- Led by Brenda Shaffer, the Cas- others for a panel on foreign tury” to prepare for his new pian Studies Program Director policy priorities. Dr. Shaffer post as vice chancellor of a pri- of Research, participants dis- argued for the importance of vate university in Sumgait. Fi- cussed the reasons for the good Azerbaijan’s “above ground” nally, two Heads of Division of mutual relations between Israel resources, suggesting that the the International Organizations and Azerbaijan. Eager to show American use of Islam as a lens Department at the Ministry of it was not at odds with the Mus- through which to perceive the Foreign Affairs, Elchin Amir- lim world, Israel adopted a region has been harmful. She bekov and Kamil Khassiyev, positive policy toward all six also stressed the importance of discussed current security policy new Muslim states that emerged credible commitments by U.S. issues with senior executives after the Soviet break-up. policymakers to the Caspian from the U.S. and other coun- Meanwhile, Azerbaijan sought a countries. tries in the National and Inter- partner in Israel, which it re- national Security Program. El- garded as a potentially beneficial Azerbaijan 101 chin Amirbekov was since ap- and powerful friend. pointed Counselor at the Mis- sion of Azerbaijan to NATO, Both groups found commonal- Fuad Akhundov, Ramin Isayev, and Kamil Khassiyev was ity as countries coping in “tough and Tahir Kerimov spoke to named Counselor at Azerbai- neighborhoods.” Students ex- over 100 graduate students in jan’s Embassy in Vienna. pressed interest in continuing Starr Auditorium at the Ken- the dialogue throughout the nedy School in a seminar they On January 12th, Caspian Stud- school year. To read a full titled “Azerbaijan: Synthesis of ies Program Research Director summary of the discussion, go East and West.” The seminar Brenda Shaffer held an infor- to was an excellent crash course in mation session in Baku for pro- http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/B “Azerbaijan 101,” touching on spective USACC Fellowship CSIA/ Library.nsf/pubs/ Azeri- the political, economic, social, candidates for the coming Israel. and cultural history and present year. day situation in Azerbaijan. Students Honored in The multimedia presentation, Israelis and Washington featuring music, videotapes, Azerbaijanis: Relations maps of the country and the old and Perceptions Kennedy School MPA Students city of Baku, charts with figures Fuad Akhundov, Ramin Isayev, on the economy, and photo- graphs of the Baku oil barons The Caspian Studies Program and Tahir Kerimov joined the Caspian Studies Program staff from the 19th century, was both and the Wexner-Israel Fellow- educational and entertaining. It ship Program sponsored a for a trip to Washington, DC in September to attend the fourth provided a wonderful opportu- dinner that brought together nity for the Kennedy School Kennedy School students from annual USACC Conference entitled “Azerbaijan: Gateway to community to learn more about Azerbaijan with Wexner fellows Azerbaijan as well as the three from Israel to discuss mutual Eurasia.” The students were honored as their names and students in the Masters in Public perceptions and relations be- Administration Program. tween the two countries. Ramin fellowships were announced at the Presidential dinner where

Caspian Studies Program 2 “60 Minutes” Features Security Training at the whose two-week curriculum focused on national security and USACC Fellow Kennedy School geostrategic issues. Julia Nanay, Fuad Akhundov Director of the Petroleum Fi- In late November through early nance Company, gave a pres- On September 24th 2000, “60 December, the Kennedy School entation to the generals entitled Minutes” aired a special on Az- conducted a two-week course “The Future of the Caspian erbaijan and Baku, featuring an aimed at policy makers, military Basin.” interview and tour with USACC officers, civilian officials and Fellow Fuad Akhundov. This strategic experts from Ukraine, The Caspian Studies Program is introduction to the history and Georgia, Poland and the United working with the Kennedy culture of Azerbaijan also States as part of the Ukrainian School to organize a similar touched on United States policy National Security Program. Executive Program, entitled the in the Caspian Basin and the Black Sea Regional Security debate surrounding Section 907 In January, thirty-nine Russian Program, to involve twenty of the Freedom Support Act, and American military repre- participants from Armenia, Az- which restricts assistance to Az- sentatives participated in the erbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and erbaijan. Executive Program for General Ukraine, as well as eight observ- Officers of the Russian Federa- ers from Bulgaria, Greece, Ro- tion and the United States, mania, and Turkey.

The Caspian Studies Program seeks to locate the Caspian region on the maps of the American policy-making community as an area in which the U.S. has important national interests and where U.S. policy can make major differences. Through its research and teaching, the Caspian Studies Program raises the profile of the region's opportunities and problems, and utilizes Harvard resources to train new leaders who will shape their countries’ futures. The Caspian Studies Program and Azerbaijan Initiative are made pos- sible by a generous gift from the United States- Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and a con- sortium of companies led by ExxonMobil, Chev- USACC Fellows Elchin Amirbekov (left) and Kamil Khassi- ron, Aker-Maritime, CCC, and ETPM. yev (right) with CSP Program Director Melissa Carr (center) If you are aware of someone who would like to receive this newsletter, please send contact information to us by email at [email protected], or by fax to (617) 496-8779.

CASPIAN STUDIES PROGRAM, SDI PROJECT BELFER CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS JFK SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT, HARVARD UNIVERSITY 79 JFK STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138 Phone: (617) 496-1565 Fax: (617) 496-8779 Email: [email protected] Website: http://ksgnotes1.harvard.edu/BCSIA/SDI.nsf/web/Caspian Graham Allison, Chairman Melissa Carr, Program Director Brenda Shaffer, Research Director Emily Goodhue, Staff Assistant Emily Van Buskirk , Research Assistant Peter Rutland and Maury Devine, Fellows

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