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VITAL VOICES 12 AZERBAIJAN PHOTOCOPY PRESERVATION Elkind, Jonathan H. file Azabaija From: WHSR Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 1998 7:19 AM To: Babbitt, James F.; Black, Steven K.; Busby, Scott W.; Davidson, Leslie K.; Elkind, Jonathan H.; Naplan, Steven J.; Pascual, Carlos E.; Schwartz, Eric P.; Weiss, Andrew S.; Wippman, David Subject: WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN INVITE THE FIRST LADY TO CLASS: UNCLASSIFIED DTG: 291109Z SEP 98 MSGTO: RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5761 RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC ORIG: AMEMBASSY BAKU PREC: ROUTINE SSN: 3265 TOR: 980929070725 M3485988 UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAKU 003265 DEPT FOR S/NIS AND EUR/CACEN - GERMANO WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP, PHUM, AJ SUBJECT: WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN INVITE THE FIRST LADY TO VISIT REF: (A) BAKU 2906 (B) SATE 168576 1. (SBU) THE FIRST LADY'S THOUGHTFUL MESSAGE TO THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN (REF B) WAS RECEIVED WITH RESOUNDING APPLAUSE AND HEARTFELT APPRECIATION. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE PRESS AND TV COVERAGE AND, PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY|MANY WOMEN HAVE SINCE COMMENTED THAT MRS. CLINTON'S WORDS BROUGHT HOME FOR THEM THE REALIZATION THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AS THEY WORK FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS. 2. (SBU) ON SEPTEMBER 24 THE EMBASSY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES OF THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC, WHICH SPONSORED THE CONGRESS, EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR THE FIRST LADY'S STATEMENT AND INVITING HER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN. TEXT FOLLOWS: DEAR MRS CLINTON: THE AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES IS HONORED TO EXTEND THE SINCERE GRATITUDE OF ALL WOMEN OF THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR KIND MESSAGE TO THE AZERBAIJAN WOMEN'S CONGRESS. YOUR WORDS INSPIRED OUR WOMEN TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO ADVANCE WOMEN'S CAUSES. AZERI WOMEN REMEMBER YOUR IMPRESSIVE SPEECH IN BEIJING IN 1995. YOUR WORDS CONVINCED US THEN TO COMMIT OUR EFFORTS TO THE REALIZATION OF THE GOALS OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM. AZERI WOMEN ARE WITH YOU IN YOUR STAND AGAINST VIOLENCE, SEPARATION. AGGRESSION AND TERRORISM. NOW YOUR NEWEST MESSAGE TO OUR CONGRESS HAS LED US TO RENEW AND REDOUBLE OUR DETERMINATION TO ACHIEVE FULLY THOSE BASIC HUMAN 1 RIGHTS WHICH ARE, AS YOU HAVE STATED so ELOQUENTLY, THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE. MRS. CLINTON. THE WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN AND, I BELIEVE, ALL WOMEN, ADMIRE YOU AS A BEACON AND AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US UNITED IN GLOBAL SISTERHOOD. YOU ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S BUSIEST OF WOMEN. BUT IF YOU COULD FIND THE TIME TO ADD TO YOUR IMPORTNT SCHEDULE A VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN, IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH TO EVERY AZERI WOMAN. MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN AZERBAIJAN BUT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL YET TO DO. A VISIT BY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON WOULD SERVE AS INSPIRATION AND CxWALYST TO ENABLE US TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN WE EVERDREAMED POSSIBLE. AND SO, ON BEHALF OF THE AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES, I INVITE YOU TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN AND SEE FIRST HAND OUR REPUBLIC AND THE NEEDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR WOMEN. WITH DEEPEST GRATITUDE, (SIGNED) ZAHRA GULIEVA AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES CHAIRMAN END TEXT. ORIGINAL WILL BE POUCHED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSMITTAL TO THE WHITE HOUSE. 3. (SBU) COMMENT: WE ARE UNAWARE OF MRS. CLINTON'S TRAVEL SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING YEAR BUT, PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE OCTOBER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN, STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS INVITATION FROM THE LARGEST WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION IN AZERBAIJAN. SHOULD THE FIRST LADY COME TO AZERBAIJAN HER PRESENCE AS THE GLOBAL CHAMPIN FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND NEEDS WOULD UNQUESTIONALY ENERGIZE THE BENEFICIAL ACTIVITIES OF AZERI WMEN AND OF THE AZERBAIJAN GOVERNMENT ON THEIR BEHALF. IT WOULD ALSO SERVE TO UNDERLINE THE SEVERAL AID PROGRAMS OPERATED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR THE BENEFIT OF WOMEN. AND IT NEED HARDLY BE MENTIONED THAT A VISIT BY THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD EMPHASIZE AND STRENGTHEN THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF THE U.S. - AZERI BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. IN LIGHT OF THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE CAUCASUS AND THE NEED TO PROMOTE CONFLICT RESOLUTION, IT WOULD SEEM TO US APPROPRIATE THAT MRS. CLINTON CONSIDER INCLUDING VISITS TO ARMENIA AND GEORGIA ON HER ITINERARY, BUT ON THIS MATTER WE NATURALLY DEFER TO OUR SISTER POSTS IN YEREVAN AND TBILISI. 4. (SBU) COMMENT CONT'D: AZERBAIJAN HAS NEVER KNOWN A UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 BAKU 003265 DEPT FOR S/NIS AND EUR/CACEN - GERMANO WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP, PHUM, AJ SUBJECT: WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN INVITE THE FIRST LADY TO VISIT REF: (A) BAKU 2906 (B) STATE 168576 DEMOCRATIC ELECTION. A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 11 AND INITIAL INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY FREER AND FAIRER THAN ANY PAST 2 CONTEST. OF COURSE FINAL JUDGMENT CANNOT BE MADE UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IS COMPLETE. IN OUR VIEW, THE NATURE OF THAT ELECTION SHOULD WEIGH HEAVILY IN ANY CONSIDERATION OF A VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN BY THE FIRST LADY. IN COMING DAYS WE WILL OFFER A RECOMMENDATION IN LIGHT OF THE CONDUCT OF AZERBAIJAN'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. ESCUDERO 3 ROUTINE UNCLASSIFIED file Azerbaijan WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM PAGE 01 OF 03 PRT: FIRSTLADY SIT: BLACK ELKIND SIT: NSC <PREC> ROUTINE <CLAS> UNCLASSIFIED <DTG> 291109Z SEP 98 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5761 RHEHAAA/THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC INFO RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI 7181 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 7657 UNCLAS BAKU 003265 DEPT FOR S/NIS AND EUR/CACEN - GERMANO WHITE HOUSE FOR OFFICE OF THE FIRST LADY SENSITIVE E.O. 12958>N/A TAGS: OVIP, PHUM, AJ SUBJECT: WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN INVITE THE FIRST LADY TO VISIT REF: (A) BAKU 2906 (B) STATE 168576 1. (SBU) THE FIRST LADY'S THOUGHTFUL MESSAGE TO THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN (REF B) WAS RECEIVED WITH RESOUNDING APPLAUSE AND HEARTFELT APPRECIATION. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE PRESS AND TV COVERAGE AND, PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, MANY WOMEN HAVE SINCE COMMENTED THAT MRS. CLINTON'S WORDS BROUGHT HOME FOR THEM THE REALIZATION THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AS THEY WORK FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS. 2. (SBU) ON SEPTEMBER 24 THE EMBASSY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES OF THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC, WHICH SPONSORED THE CONGRESS, EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR THE FIRST LADY'S STATEMENT AND INVITING HER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN. TEXT FOLLOWS: DEAR MRS CLINTON: THE AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES IS HONORED TO EXTEND THE SINCERE GRATITUDE OF ALL WOMEN OF THE AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC FOR YOUR KIND MESSAGE TO THE AZERBAIJAN WOMEN'S CONGRESS. YOUR WORDS INSPIRED OUR WOMEN TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO ADVANCE WOMEN'S CAUSES. UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE UNCLASSIFIED WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM PAGE 02 OF 03 AZERI WOMEN REMEMBER YOUR IMPRESSIVE SPEECH IN BEIJING IN 1995. YOUR WORDS CONVINCED US THEN TO COMMIT OUR EFFORTS TO THE REALIZATION OF THE GOALS OF THE BEIJING PLATFORM. AZERI WOMEN ARE WITH YOU IN YOUR STAND AGAINST VIOLENCE, SEPARATION. AGGRESSION AND TERRORISM. NOW YOUR NEWEST MESSAGE TO OUR CONGRESS HAS LED US TO RENEW AND REDOUBLE OUR DETERMINATION TO ACHIEVE FULLY THOSEASIC HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH ARE, AS YOU HAVE STATED so ELOQUENTLY, THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE. MRS. CLINTON. THE WOMEN OF AZERBAIJAN AND, I BELIEVE, ALL WOMEN, ADMIRE YOU AS A BEACON AND AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US UNITED IN GLOBAL SISTERHOOD. YOU ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S BUSIEST OF WOMEN. BUT IF YOU COULD FIND THE TIME TO ADD TO YOUR IMPORTANT SCHEDULE A VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN, IT WOULD MEAN so MUCH TO EVERY AZERI WOMAN. MUCH HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN AZERBAIJAN BUT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL YET TO DO. A VISIT BY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON WOULD SERVE AS INSPIRATION AND CATALYST TO ENABLE US TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN WE EVER DREAMED POSSIBLE. AND so, ON BEHALF OF THE AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES, I INVITE YOU TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN AND SEE FIRST HAND OUR REPUBLIC AND THE NEEDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR WOMEN. WITH DEEPEST GRATITUDE, (SIGNED) ZAHRA GULIEVA AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE FOR WOMEN'S ISSUES CHAIRMAN END TEXT. ORIGINAL WILL BE POUCHED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSMITTAL TO THE WHITE HOUSE. (SBU) COMMENT: WE ARE UNAWARE OF MRS. CLINTON'S TRAVEL SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING YEAR BUT, PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE OCTOBER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN, STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS INVIT8TION FROM THE LARGEST WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION IN AZERBAIJAN. SHOULD THE FIRST LADY COME TO AZERBAIJAN HER PRESENCE AS THE GLOBAL CHAMPIN FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND NEEDS WOULD UNQUESTIONALY ENERGIZE THE BENEFICIAL ACTIVITIES OF AZERI WMEN AND OF THE AZERBAIJAN GOVERNMENT ON THEIR BEHALF. IT WOULD ALSO SERVE TO UNDERLINE THE SEVERAL AID PROGRAMS OPERATED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR THEENEFIT OF WOMEN. AND IT NEED HARDLY BE MENTIONED THAT A VISIT BY THE WIFE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD EMPHASIZE AND STRENGTHEN THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF THE U.S. - AZERI BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. IN LIGHT OF THE UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE UNCLASSIFIED WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM PAGE 03 OF 03 CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE CAUCASUS AND THE NEED TO PROMOTE CONFLICT RESOLUTION, IT WOULD SEEM TO US APPROPRIATE THAT MRS. CLINTON CONSIDER INCLUDING VISITS TO ARMENIA AND GEORGIA ON HER ITINERARY, BUT ON THIS MATTER WE NATURALLY DEFER TO OUR SISTER POSTS IN YEREVAN AND TBILISI. 4. (SBU) COMMENT CONT'D: AZERBAIJAN HAS NEVER KNOWN A REF: (A) BAKU 2906 (B) STATE 168576 DEMOCRATIC ELECTION. A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 11 AND INITIAL INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY FREER AND FAIRER THAN ANY PAST CONTEST. OF COURSE FINAL JUDGMENT CANNOT BE MADE UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IS COMPLETE. IN OUR VIEW, THE NATURE OF THAT ELECTION SHOULD WEIGH HEAVILY IN ANY CONSIDERATION OF A VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN BY THE FIRST LADY. IN COMING DAYS WE WILL OFFER A RECOMMENDATION IN LIGHT OF THE CONDUCT OF AZERBAIJAN'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. ESCUDERO <^SECT>SECTION: 01 OF 01 <^SSN>3265 <MSGID> M3487329 UNCLASSIFIED