A Conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov Foreign Minister Of

Security & Defence Agenda Report

A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan SDA debate 7 December 2011 A Security & Defence Agenda Report Rapporteur: Jonathan Dowdall Photos: Philippe Molitor Publisher: Geert Cami Date of publication: December 2011

SECURITY & DEFENCE AGENDA Bibliothèque Solvay, Parc Léopold, 137 rue Belliard, B-1040, Brussels, Belgium T: +32 (0)2 737 91 48 F: +32 (0)2 736 32 16 E: [email protected] W: www.securitydefenceagenda.org

A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov

CONTENTS Speaker and moderator 2

Introduction 3

Home affairs after 20 years of independence 3

Foreign policy 3

The road to peace in the South Caucasus? 4

List of participants 6

The views expressed in this report are personal opinions of the speakers and not necessarily those of the organisations they represent, nor of the Security & Defence Agenda, its members or partners.

Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted, providing that full attribution is made to the Security & Defence Agenda and to the source(s) in question, and provided that any such reproduction, whether in full or in part, is not sold unless incorporated in other works.

A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov

Speaker

H.E. Dr. Elmar Mammadyarov Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan

Elmar Mammadyarov has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 2004. Mammadyarov was previously Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Italy and between 1998-2003 served as Counsellor at the embassy of Azerbaijan to the USA.

Mammadyarov began his career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991 as Director of Divi- sion for State Protocol before serving as First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of the Re- public of Azerbaijan to the UN in New York. In 1995 be returned as Deputy Director of the Department of International Organisations.

Prior to his time in the MFA, Mammadyarov was an exchange scholar at Brown University in the Center for Foreign Policy Development. He holds a PHD in History from the Diplomatic academy of the MFA of the USSR and a degree from Kiev State University, School of International Relations and International Law.

Moderator

Giji Gya Head of Office of the Deputy Director Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF)

Giji Gya has been Head of the Office of the Deputy Director for DCAF since 2011. Gya also coordinates the Brussels office as Dr. Philipp Fluri’s deputy.

She was previously Executive Director of ISIS Europe from 2007-2011, during which she cre- ated the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Mission Analysis Partnership, and was the editor of the European Security Review. Prior to moving to Europe, she worked for Inter- national Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in Australia and consulted for the UN including the UN Mine Action Service in 2004 and UN Development Fund for Women in 2009. She was also Assistant Director of the Global Policy Forum in New York in 2000-2001.

Gya holds a Masters in International Development from RMIT University in Australia, and a degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne.

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A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov

Introduction Indeed, the Minister maintained that Azerbaijan would not make the mistake of becoming a “single pillar” Speaking to a packed Brussels audience, H.E. Dr. Elmar state, overly focused on energy revenue, rather than Mammadyarov, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, out- the education of its workforce and diversification of its lined the challenges and opportunities facing his coun- economic activities. try on the 20th anniversary of its independence. Questions came from the floor on Baku’s progress in Chaired by Giji Gya, Head of Office dealing with allegations of state of the Deputy Director for the Ge- “In the 20 years of independence, my corruption, asking if this was a ma- jor issue within the bureaucracy if neva Centre for Democratic Control country has done a good job, not to of Armed Forces (DCAF), the de- it could cause foreign investment only of becoming self sufficient, but of bate ranged from internal matters to stagnate. of economic growth, energy and strengthening its institutions and hu- the fight against corruption to in- man capital.” The Minister admitted that corrup- ternational engagement in Afghani- tion is “an everyday fight”, and a stan and tensions with Iran. When it came to the issue difficult internal challenge. Nonetheless, he noted that of Armenian occupation of the Azerbaijani territories, “we have a special commission for this, and I do not the Minister expressed a firm opinion that diplomacy think that it is hampering investments”. Affirming remains Azerbaijan’s first and best option for address- steady progress in this area, the Minister explained: “I ing this long-term problem. don’t want to paint it as all good, there are problems. But realistically, the most important aspect is that we Home affairs after 20 years of independence recognise it is an issue, an issue that needs to be seriously addressed.” The Minister, noting healthy economic growth in Azer- baijan over the past decade, was optimistic about the Foreign policy continued prosperity of the young Azeri nation. “In 20 years of independence, my country has done a good Turning to external relations, the Minister focused on job, not to only of becoming self sufficient, but of Azerbaijani involvement in Afghanistan, where 154 strengthening its institutions and human capital”, he Azeri soldiers participate in NATO ISAF operations. Yet declared. military forces alone cannot settle this difficult security issue. “What we must understand is that there is no Energy issues have become a strong component of single policy solution in Afghanistan”, he explained. Baku’s economic strategy in this regard, with Azerbai- Instead, Azerbaijan is engaged in a host of programmes jan’s strategic position at the fulcrum of Central Asian in the war-torn country, from building up civil society fields and European markets making pipeline invest- to inviting Afghan officials to a diplomatic academy ment a state priority. “This helps us a lot to build the course. Azerbaijan has also become a key economic economy, to make reforms, and invest more of the partner in the region. money coming from oil businesses into infrastructure projects - a priority for the government.” Perhaps most importantly, noting Azeri participation in the recent international conference on Afghanistan in

A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov

Bonn, the Minister avowed “a “We need to double or even triple our Claiming such a choice “could bring strong conviction” that the inter- efforts to educate people that this is a humanitarian catastrophe” to national community must continue not the way a normal country can pro- the region, and “create a serious to support the war-torn country ceed”... “That you cannot occupy the mess”, Baku stands fully behind beyond NATO’s 2014 pull-out. “I territory of another state, and that no- ongoing UN and International am absolutely sure the interna- Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) di- one is allowed to change the borders tional community, NATO, ISAF and plomacy. “I think negotiations all partners, should and must not of a country through the process of should go on, and that engage- leave Afghanistan alone”, he said. ethnic cleansing.” ment is one of the elements I believe can be extremely important The discussion then moved on to regional tensions for a solution.” with Iran. Pascal Meunier, Senior Vice President of International Development for Thales asked, “What The road to peace in the South Caucasus? will your contribution be to finding a solution with Iran”, especially its increasing global isolation by the Finally, a topic of some discussion was Baku’s “frozen” EU and US over alleged nuclear weapons programmes? conflict with neighbouring Armenia, the result of pro- tracted armed conflict in the early 1990s that today To begin, the Minister explained that “strong connec- sees large swathes of territory under occupation. tions with Iran” - where up to 30% of the country shares linguistic and cultural links with Azerbaijan - The Minister quoted a host of UN and international “provide us with access and bilateral agreements with treaties and resolutions calling for Armenia to cede which we try to build up more predictable and con- control of the occupied regions. Indeed, MEP Kirilov structive relations with Iran.” This allows “personal Evgeni Zahariev intervened to affirm the European Par- connections” which perhaps elude European Ministers, liament had voted “conclusively” that Azerbaijan had the Minister indicated. the right to make these demands. The “Seriously speaking, we are clear Minister was thus clear that only a full Yet despite this, the Minister on one thing – we are not in favour Armenian troop withdrawal from agreed that relations with Iran of a military solution.” these territories could end this con- were not always easy. “Sometimes, flict, in his view. there are different ideas and forces which cause quar- relling between us”, he explained, “over how to deal “We need to double or even triple our efforts to edu- with religious issues, or agreements on the use of the cate people that this is not the way a normal country Caspian Sea”, for example. Yet over all, “we believe we can proceed”, he remonstrated. “That you cannot oc- can handle the situation” in a constructive manner. cupy the territory of another state, and that no-one is allowed to change the borders of a country through the However, regarding the growing tension over Iran’s process of ethnic cleansing.” alleged nuclear ambitions, the Minister was firmly against the options currently being discussed in West- However, the Minister was also clear that Azerbaijan ern capitals. “Seriously speaking, we are clear on one neither desires nor prioritises a resumption of armed thing – we are not in favour of a military solution.” conflict to resolve this issue. “One single life of a soldier

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A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov

is too high a price compared to what we can do by Yet ultimately the Minister felt that the “ball is in the peaceful means”, he avowed. Instead, he “hope[s] we Armenian court” on this issue. To relieve this tension, can move and use diplomacy to reach this goal, as it is “decisions must be made by them”, he concluded. “We clear that there are enormous opportunities for the are simply trying to make proposals.” restoration of communities, and economic prosperity”.

To this end, the Minister laid out some recent confi- dence-building and “people to people” initiatives set up for Armenian and displaced Azeri civilians ..

A conversation with Elmar Mammadyarov

List of participants

Sarin Abado Danila Bochkarev National Expert Senior Fellow, Energy and Global Security E-Control EastWest Institute

Gunduz Abdulov Olivier Bulto Staff Officer Analyst North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) K City

Marat Aitbayev Josef Buzalka Voluntary National Contributor Political Advisor to the EUSR for the South Caucasus North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) European External Action Service (EEAS)

Roni Alasor Fraser Cameron Editor Director Ararat News Publishing EU-Russia Centre

Monuel Armal Geert Cami The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) Co-Founder & Director Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) Azad Aslanov Third Secretary Mariette Colinet Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO Retired EC Official

Azamat Ayap Philippe Cuylaerts Counsellor Public Affairs Manager Embassy of Kazakhstan to Belgium The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS)

Eda Aygen Pierre Day Project Assistant Political Analyst Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) Ministry of Defence, France

Agshin Babayev Joan Delaney Liaison Officer, Azerbaijan Independent Consultant North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Polydoros Demetriades Aynur Baghirova Principal Administrator Student European Commission College of Europe Pierre Dybman Gintautas Baranauskas Political Officer Administrator European External Action Service (EEAS) Council of the European Union Maria Elena Efthymiou Florian Bauernfeind Administrator Project Assistant European Parliament Security & Defence Agenda (SDA)

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List of participants

Steffen Elgersma Bakhtiyar Gulyamov Political Affairs and Security Policy Ambassador North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Mission of Uzbekistan to NATO

Emin Eyyubov Vugar Gurbanov Ambassador Second Secretary Mission of Azerbaijan to the EU Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO

Gert Fässler Giji Gya External Relations staff Head of Office of the Deputy Director Mission of Switzerland to the EU Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) Alan Friedman Independent Consultant Rashad Hasanov Consular Officer Torbjørn Frøysnes Embassy of Azerbaijan to Belgium Director Council of Europe Lilian Hendriks Senior Secretary Didier Gambier Gender Concerns International Head of Unit, Marie Curie Actions European Commission Balazs Honti Independent Consultant Igor Garcia-Tapia Project Manager Huseyn Huseynov Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) First Secretary Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO Joseph Geerts President Mugabil Huseynov Ocaz - Office de Communication de l'Azerbaïdjan Senior Liaison Officer, Azerbaijan North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Andrea Ghianda Project Manager Ondrej Hvorecky Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) Defence Attaché Embassy of the Czech Republic to Belgium Mohammad Munir Ghiasy First Secretary Zhaia Ibrahimova Embassy of Afghanistan to Belgium Third Secretary Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO Ekaterina Gorbatova Counsellor Samir Ismayilov Embassy of the Russian Federation to Belgium First Secretary Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO Stef Goris Honorary Senator Valentina Izmirova Senate, Belgium Manager Active Public Affairs Clara Grosset Policy Assistant Simon Jackson Open Society Institute (OSI) - Brussels Consultant, Senior Analyst Programmer European Commission Col. Aghareadi Guliyev Deputy Military Representative Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO 7 List of participants

Emmanuel Jacob Hannah Ledger President Project Assistant European Organisation of Military Associations Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) (EUROMIL) Charlotte Lerat Gauthier Jacob EU Policy Officer EU advocacy and research assistant CCI ALPMED International Crisis Group (ICG) Marie T. Lubs Bessarion Jghenti Member First Counsellor EGMONT, Royal Institute for International Relations Mission of Georgia to NATO Maj.Gen. Huseyn Mahmudov Constantine Kapanadze Military Representative First Secretary Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO Mission of Georgia to the EU Khalid Mammadov Ulrich Karock Deputy Director Policy Advisor Ocaz - Office de Communication de l'Azerbaïdjan European Parliament Mukhtar Mammadov Daniel Keenan Second Secretary Researcher Mission of Azerbaijan to the EU Mission of the United States of America to the EU Muslum Mammadov Adrian Kendry Director Senior Defence Economist Ocaz - Office de Communication de l'Azerbaïdjan North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Sevinj Mammadova Ibrahim Khazar Assistant Ambassador, Head of Mission Mission of Azerbaijan to the EU Mission of Azerbaijan to NATO Elmar Mammadyarov Kasia Kolanko Minister Project Associate Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Azerbaijan APCO Worldwide Brussels Office Pauline Massart Karel Kovanda Senior Manager Governor, EU representative Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) Asia-Europe Foundation Col. Brendan McAloon Kamen Kumanov Defence Attaché Expert Embassy of the United States of America to Belgium Active Public Affairs Raphaël Metais Bedo Kurkjian Academic Assistant Assistant editor College of Europe Azat Or Daily Newspaper Pascal Meunier Oleksii Kuropiatnyk Senior Vice President, International Development Counsellor Thales Group Mission of Ukraine to the EU

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List of participants

Stanislava Mladenova Timm Rentrop Business Analyst Legal Officer, EU Labour Law North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) European Commission

Federico Mozzi Kyriakos Revelas Project Assistant Senior Security Policy Analyst Security & Defence Agenda (SDA) European External Action Service (EEAS)

Yilmaz Muhammet Rainer Ruge Advisor Former EU Official Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) Lailuma Sadid Second Secretary Antonio Neves Costa Embassy of Afghanistan to Belgium Consultant APCO Worldwide Brussels Office Hilde Sagon Legal Advisor George Vlad Niculescu International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Director of Programmes Centre for East European and Asian Studies Giovanni Salici Official Pavel Ogorodnikov European Commission Second Secretary Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to NATO Jan Peter Schoffer Petriček Head of Civil Society Relations Section Neval Orbay European Commission Counsellor Mission of Turkey to the EU José Antonio Segura Escamilla Counsellor Maria Joao Paixao Embassy of Spain to Belgium Associate Brunswick Group Emil Seyidov Voluntary National Contributor Amanda Paul North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Policy Analyst European Policy Centre (EPC) Michael Simm Policy and Planning Officer Isabelle Pellier European Defence Agency (EDA) Chargée de mission Permanent Representation of France to the EU René J. Steiner Administrator Aline Pestana European Commission Independent Media Consultant Dimash Syzdykov Victoria Pirker Journalist Project Manager CN Kazinform Human Rights Without Frontiers Gérard Taquin Ekaterina Poletaeva Administrator Trade analyst Council of the European Union Apex Edyta Tarczysnka Advisor Group of the European People's Party (EPP) 9

List of participants

Bjørn H. Tretvoll Kostyantyn Voytovsky Senior Advisor EU Affairs Counsellor Trans Adriatic Pipeline Mission of Ukraine to NATO

Mustafa Osman Turan Col. Markus Wohlhauser Deputy Permanent Representative Deputy Military Representative Mission of Turkey to the EU Mission of Switzerland to NATO

Ivo Vajgl Renata Zaleska Member Consultant European Parliament North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)

Lutgarde Vertongen Independent Consultant

Jean-Arnold Vinois Director Acting, Security of Supply & Networks European Commission

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