08BAKU349

WikiLeaks Cable

Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
08BAKU349	2008-04-10 06:52	2011-08-24 01:00	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	Embassy Baku

VZCZCXRO8249 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK DE RUEHKB #0349 1010652 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 100652Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5133 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2759 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 1447 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0120 RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI PRIORITY UNCLAS BAKU 000349

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE SIPDIS

NEA/IR FOR COBERLY AND HADJILOU

E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ABUD AFIN AMGT ECON KDEM KPAO PREL AJ AM TU IR SUBJECT: IRAN SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM SUBMISSIONS

REF: STATE 033385

¶1. (U) This is a joint message from Embassies Baku and Yerevan.

¶2. (SBU) Summary: Embassies Baku and Yerevan recommend that the Department fund two Iran small grants applications from institutions in Azerbaijan and Armenia that are designed to support the development of civil society and human rights in Iran. Both proposals have the backing of all Missions involved. End Summary.

¶3. (SBU) The Baku-based "Association for the Protection of Women's Rights NGO" requests funding for a conference of Iranian, Azerbaijani, and Turkish human rights NGOs to discuss the status of women's rights efforts in the region. Working with Turkish co-sponsor Isik University, the Azerbaijani NGO intends to hold the conference at Isik University in Istanbul, Turkey. Embassy Ankara and ConGen Istanbul have reviewed the proposal and support it, subject to the Department vetting the proposed Iranian participants for any affiliation with organizations known to be of concern to the United States and/or Turkey.

¶4. (SBU) Yerevan-based Arya University requests funding to host an academic conference bringing together academics from Iran, the U.S., and Europe to discuss Iran's role in the region. With Armenia's sizable Iranian student population as its primary audience, this conference intends to expose Iranian participants to Western-style culture and academic values. Embassy Yerevan supports this proposal.

¶5. (SBU) Embassy Baku has forwarded both applications to NEA/IR for consideration. Please contact Baku-based regional Iran Watcher Dave Haugen at HaugenDP@state.gov for any additional questions concerning these proposals.

¶6. (U) Embassy Ankara cleared this message.

DERSE