

Currently released so far... 6230 / 251,287
Articles
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Amsterdam
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Browse by tag
ASEC
AF
AE
AR
AORC
AJ
AU
AM
ABLD
AL
AMGT
ASUP
AFIN
APER
ABUD
AVERY
APCS
AEMR
ADCO
APECO
ASIG
AG
AA
AS
AFFAIRS
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
AMED
AO
ACOA
AX
AROC
ATFN
ASEAN
AFGHANISTAN
AFU
AER
ALOW
AODE
ATRN
AID
AC
AGMT
CH
CO
CS
CE
CU
CLINTON
CG
CVIS
CMGT
CI
CJAN
CF
COM
CASC
CA
CBW
CM
CDG
CR
COUNTER
CD
CWC
CKGR
CN
CPAS
CJUS
CV
CONS
CT
CY
COUNTERTERRORISM
CIA
CACM
CDB
CAN
COE
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CONDOLEEZZA
CARSON
CL
CIS
CODEL
CTM
CB
ECON
EFIN
EAIR
EUN
EINV
ENRG
EG
ETRD
EPET
ETTC
ELAB
EU
ER
ET
EAGR
ECPS
ECIN
ELTN
EAID
EMIN
EWWT
EFIS
EIND
EC
ES
EN
EI
ENVR
ENGR
ENIV
EUNCH
ENVI
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ELN
EZ
EXTERNAL
EINVECONSENVCSJA
EINT
EUR
ECINECONCS
ENNP
EFINECONCS
EK
ELECTIONS
ECUN
EINVEFIN
ECIP
EINDETRD
EUC
EREL
ECA
ENERG
ENGY
ETRO
EFTA
ECONCS
ECONOMICS
ECONEFIN
EINVETC
EINN
ESA
ETC
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ESENV
ETRDECONWTOCS
IN
IC
IR
IZ
IS
IAEA
IT
ICTY
IO
IA
IWC
ID
ICRC
ILC
INTELSAT
IMO
ISRAELI
IACI
ILO
ITRA
IBRD
IMF
ICJ
ICAO
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
INTERPOL
IV
IQ
IPR
INRB
ITPHUM
IIP
IL
INR
ITPGOV
IZPREL
IRC
INRA
INRO
IRAJ
IEFIN
IF
KDEM
KCRM
KJUS
KTIA
KWBG
KPAL
KIPR
KTIP
KE
KNNP
KGHG
KICC
KV
KTFN
KU
KCFE
KDRG
KWMN
KSCA
KGIC
KCOR
KFRD
KPKO
KSUM
KPRP
KPAO
KBCT
KIRF
KCFC
KISL
KREC
KSPR
KHIV
KBIO
KMCA
KMPI
KFLU
KSTH
KBTR
KS
KOMC
KOMS
KSEP
KPRV
KFLO
KHLS
KN
KWWMN
KUNR
KLIG
KSTC
KZ
KG
KRAD
KOLY
KTBT
KTDB
KOCI
KAWK
KCIP
KNPP
KWAC
KMDR
KAWC
KIDE
KSAF
KX
KWMNCS
KNEI
KCRS
KVPR
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KACT
KO
KFSC
KR
KPWR
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KFIN
KGCC
KPIN
KPLS
KIRC
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KGIT
KBTS
KERG
KWMM
KRVC
KNSD
KVIR
KNUP
KTER
KDDG
KHSA
KMRS
KHDP
KTLA
KPAK
KNAR
KREL
KPAI
KTEX
KCOM
KNNPMNUC
KPOA
KRFD
KHUM
KDEV
KNUC
MOPS
MARR
MASS
MNUC
MO
MX
MCAP
ML
MTCRE
MR
MP
MY
MU
MIL
MAR
MC
MRCRE
MTRE
MA
MEPI
MV
MPOS
MD
MZ
MEPP
MOPPS
MAPP
MASC
MT
MERCOSUR
MK
MDC
MI
MAPS
MCC
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
MUCN
MTCR
MG
OREP
OVIP
OFDP
ODIP
OPDC
OAS
OTRA
OSCE
OECD
OIIP
OEXC
OPCW
OPIC
OPRC
OVP
OSCI
OTR
OSAC
OIC
OFFICIALS
OIE
PHUM
PREL
PGOV
PREF
PTER
PARM
PBTS
PINR
PINS
PHSA
PK
POL
PM
PINT
PE
PINF
PEL
PA
PARMS
PO
PLN
PROP
PALESTINIAN
PAO
PL
POV
PG
POLITICS
PEPR
PSI
PSOE
PU
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PBIO
PECON
PAK
POGOV
PINL
PKFK
PMIL
PY
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PRAM
PMAR
PGOVLO
PUNE
PORG
PHUMPREL
PF
POLINT
PHUS
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PNAT
PGOVE
PRGOV
PRL
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
SENV
SY
SZ
SOCI
SO
SR
SNAR
SA
SP
SW
SMIG
SU
SCUL
SC
SAN
SN
SL
SG
SYR
SEVN
SF
SI
STEINBERG
SIPRS
SH
SNARCS
SOFA
SANC
SHUM
SK
ST
TRGY
TU
TBIO
TH
TS
TSPL
TT
TPHY
TSPA
TI
TK
TIP
TERRORISM
TZ
TX
TW
TD
TP
TC
TO
TNGD
TINT
TRSY
TR
TFIN
TURKEY
UK
UNGA
UN
UNHRC
UNMIK
UNO
UZ
UNSC
UP
UG
UNHCR
UNDC
US
UNAUS
USTR
UV
UNEP
UY
UNESCO
USUN
UAE
USEU
UNDP
UNCHS
UNVIE
UNCHC
UE
UNDESCO
USAID
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 10BAKU54, AZERBAIJAN: WHO OWNS WHAT? PART 1 - THE FIRST
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.
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. #10BAKU54.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
10BAKU54 | 2010-01-27 13:01 | 2010-12-12 21:09 | SECRET | Embassy Baku |
VZCZCXRO9261
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHKB #0054/01 0271310
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 271310Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2302
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3775
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0202
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 BAKU 000054
SIPDIS
COMMERCE FOR D.STARKS
EEB/CBA FOR T.GILMAN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR C. MORROW AND P. BURKHEAD
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2030
TAGS: ECON EINV EIND ETRD KCOR PINR PGOV AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: WHO OWNS WHAT? PART 1 - THE FIRST
LADY'S FAMILY (C-RE9-02493; C-RE9-02492)
REF: 08 BAKU 93
Classified By: XXXXXXXXXXXXX, for reasons 1.4 b and d.
¶1. (S) SUMMARY: This cable is the first in a series that
will highlight the most powerful families in Azerbaijan, both
in terms of economic and political power. In this opening
issue, we profile the family of First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva
(born Mehriban Pashayeva), and her uncle, former Azerbaijani
Ambassador to the United States and current Deputy Foreign
Minister Hafiz Pashayev. Mehriban Aliyeva, besides being the
wife of the President, is a Member of Parliament and head of
the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, a non-transparent organization
that bills itself as a vehicle for charitable works. Other
members of the Pashayev family hold powerful positions in
government and academia, and are associated with powerful
business groups outside the energy sector. The Pashayevs are
known to operate extensively in Baku's rapidly expanding
construction/real estate market, and are well invested in the
financial and telecommunications sectors. End Summary.
¶2. (C) Observers in Baku often note that today's Azerbaijan
is run in a manner similar to the feudalism found in Europe
during the Middle Ages: a handful of well-connected families
control certain geographic areas, as well as certain sectors
of the economy. By and large, this seems to be the case,
with general agreement among leading families to divide the
spoils and not disturb one another's areas of business or
geographic control. The families also collude, using
government mechanisms, to keep out foreign competitors, and
entities such as the State Border Services, State Customs and
tax authorities create barriers that only the best connected
can clear. As a result, an economy already burgeoning with
oil and gas revenues produces enormous opportunity and wealth
for a small handful of players that form Azerbaijan's elite.
This series of reports will describe the businesses they run,
the regions they control, and the ministries they keep under
their thumbs.
¶3. (U) Biographical note: Similar to Russian tradition,
many Azeris still utilize the Slavic naming convention where
the last letter(s) of a person's last name indicates gender.
Example: Pashayev (male) / Pashayeva (female).
Mehriban's Heydar Aliyev Fund
-----------------------------
¶4. (S) First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva (born Mehriban Pashayeva)
is no doubt the most famous member of this clan, playing
multiple roles and holding multiple titles. Aside from being
the President's wife, she is President of the Heydar Aliyev
Fund, which proclaims to be a humanitarian organization
constructing schools, hospitals, and youth centers, among
other projects. These projects provide a constant array of
goodwill photo opportunities and advertisements for the First
Lady, as she cuts ribbons on new schools and cultural
centers. The Fund has its critics, however, who claim that
it often fails to provide continued financing for the
operation of these projects. Much funding seems to be geared
towards efforts to explain Azerbaijan's side of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, for example in the form of books,
brochures and other materials describing what they call a
"genocide by Armenia" in the town of Khojali.
¶5. (S) Moreover, the organization tends to be
non-transparent. It is unclear where the money for the Heydar
Aliyev Fund's activities comes from, though many assume that
oil revenues fill the coffers. There are multiple anecdotal
reports of employees of government ministries being forced to
make contributions to the Fund. The Fund is located in one
of the largest historical buildings in downtown Baku,
towering even over the SOCAR (State Oil Company)
Headquarters. One opposition politician recently told poloff
that receipts of donations to the Foundation are a type of
"get out of jail free card" for local officials, meaning that
if these officials can show that they donate regularly,
higher level officials will allow them to operate businesses
and other activities locally without interference.
BAKU 00000054 002 OF 003
¶6. (C) Aliyeva is also a Member of Parliament and Goodwill
Ambassador for UNESCO and ISESCO (the Organization of the
Islamic Conference cultural organization). A recent survey
of journalists accredited to Parliament declared her "the
Most Active MP of 2009 in making legislative initiatives."
Embassy monitors, who have attended nearly every session over
the past year, have never seen her present in Parliament, an
institution that in general is not known for working
independently outside the realm of the Presidential Apparat.
When she received Members of Congress in 2008, she appeared
poorly informed about political issues and could only respond
knowledgeably about issues relating to the Heydar Aliyev Fund
(reftel).
Academics and Other Endeavors
-----------------------------
¶7. (S) Other notable Pashayevs include the First Lady's
sister Nargiz Pashayeva, who heads the branch of Moscow State
University located in Azerbaijan; the First Lady's father
Arif Pashayev, who leads the National Aviation Academy; and
the First Lady's uncle Hafiz Pashayev (brother of Arif
Pashayev), who is a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and
the Director of the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Hafiz
Pashayev was also Azerbaijan's first Ambassador to the United
States, serving in Washington DC for over 13 years. The
Deputy Foreign Minister these days spends much time focusing
on his Diplomatic Academy, which is constructing an elaborate
new compound (modeled after NFATC Arlington) in central Baku.
As a whole, the family, which generally speaks Russian
better than Azeri, is considered the single most powerful
family in Azerbaijan.
¶8. (S) The Pashayev family's center of power is considered
to be Baku, where Mehriban Aliyeva's parents were born, and
the Absheron peninsula, with Aliyeva "representing" in
parliament a constituency that surrounds Heydar Aliyev
International Airport. Aliyeva has also arranged for the
building of the Shuvelan designer shopping center in her
constituency, which stands out among the crumbling houses in
the area. The family is believed to exert control over the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Youth and
Sport, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education,
simply because these ministries fall under the areas
traditionally of interest for a First Lady. In that regard,
the Pashayevs have been active in promoting the construction
of museums and other cultural sites in Baku, and at a time
were associated with an effort to open a branch of the
Guggenheim museum along Baku's waterfront. Mehriban
Aliyeva's collection of contemporary art also provided the
foundation for Baku's new Museum of Modern Art, which opened
quietly last fall. The museum was designed by Altay
Sadikhzade, a local artist/designer married to Nargiz
Pashayeva. No expense was spared in the construction of the
museum, which highlights Soviet-era Azerbaijani artists,
including Altay (whose portraits of Mehriban, Nargiz and Arif
are at the center of the galleries).
A Vast Empire
-------------
¶9. (S) The Pashayev family controls Pasha Holding, a
conglomerate that includes Pasha Bank, Pasha Insurance, Pasha
Construction, and Pasha Travel. The family owns local TV
station Lider TV as well as cosmetics producer "Nargiz." The
family is believed to control several of the top ten banks in
Azerbaijan, including Bank Standard and Kapital Bank, in
addition to the newest, Pasha Bank. In November 2009, Pasha
Holding opened Baku's first, and so far only, Bentley
dealership.
¶10. (S) Nar Mobile (which is officially registered as
Azerfon) is also linked to this family, and speculation is
that the company is named "Nar" not only after the Azeri word
for pomegranate but also after the First Lady's sister
Nargiz. According to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX,
when President Aliyev visited the Azercell booth recently at
the Baku telecom expo, he said, "So this is what the
BAKU 00000054 003 OF 003
competition looks like." Nar Mobile/Azerfon has been growing
rapidly and was recently awarded the only 3G license in
Azerbaijan. Market leader Azercell had its license
application denied for reasons that remain unclear. There
have also been commercial disputes between Azercell and Nar
Mobile/Azerfon. XXXXXXXXXXXX says that while
Azercell always pays its interconnection fee responsibilities
(for passing a call from one network to the other) to Nar
Mobile/Azerfon, the latter does not reciprocate. In protest,
Azercell blocked its subscribers (who form roughly 60 percent
of the lucrative Baku market) from making calls to or
receiving calls from Nar Mobile/Azerfon users (who make up 8
percent of the Baku market). Pashayev-controlled Nar
Mobile/Azerfon went to court and not surprisingly received a
verdict within hours that ordered Azercell to restore
interconnectivity.
¶11. (S) Construction projects in Baku are generally beset by
a number of government-imposed delays, such as the tax man,
the fire marshal, and safety engineers battling for their own
slices of the corruption pie. This is particularly true of
smaller scale projects that do not have a "krysha" (Russian
criminal slang for an official "roof," or protector), such as
a government minister. Not surprisingly, projects by Pasha
Construction face few, if any, of these setbacks and are
generally among the fastest to be built in Azerbaijan.
Examples include the Shuvelan Shopping Center, the Port Baku
Towers and Residences, The Four Seasons Hotel, the Absheron
J.W. Marriott Hotel and Residences, and the Amburan Marriott
Beach Resort. Three workers were killed on January 11 when
they fell from a building under construction on high-rent
Neftchiler Prospect. Initial media reports said this was a
Pasha Construction site; within hours, retractions appeared
and said it was in fact a "Geygapi Construction" site.
A First Lady, Too, in Fashion
-----------------------------
¶12. (S) The Pashayev women are known to be fashion-conscious
and daring, far more so than the average woman in majority-
Muslim Azerbaijan. First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva appears to
have had substantial cosmetic surgery, presumably overseas,
and wears dresses that would be considered provocative even
in the Western world (reftel). On television, in photos, and
in person, she appears unable to show a full range of facial
expression. The First Lady and her two daughters hosted
Second Lady Lynne Cheney for dinner in September 2008. Prior
to the Second Lady's arrival, while the three ladies were
waiting for Mrs. Cheney's car, one Secret Service agent asked
"which one of those is the mother?" Emboffs and White House
staff studied the three for several moments, and then Emboff
said, "Well, logically the mother would probably stand in the
middle."
Comment: Pashayevs Worth Talking to
-----------------------------------
¶13. (C) By any measure, the Pashayevs are a family to be
reckoned with in Azerbaijan. First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva has
traveled to the United States on multiple occasions, with her
husband and separately, and been the celebrated guest at
events hosted by the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and
other organizations. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
has been an important interlocutor for the U.S.
Embassy in Baku and official Americans traveling to
Azerbaijan. He has not always been able to deliver outcomes
that we promote -- such as on difficult issues like the
jailed bloggers -- but has been wlling to hear us out and
relay those messages appopriately. End Comment.
¶14. (C) The next report on "Who Owns What" will profile the
Heydarov family. Patriarch Kemaladdin Heydarov is the
Minister of Emergency Situations and the former Chairman of
the State Customs Committee. A wealthy monopolist, he has
been called "the most powerful man in Azerbaijan," although
Post believes his family is actually second in power to that
of the President and First Lady.