US defense chief courts the put-out president of Azerbaijan, key supply hub for Afghan war
By Anne Gearan, APSunday, June 6, 2010
Gates courts put-out Azerbaijan, a key Afghan hub
BAKU, Azerbaijan — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates tried on Sunday to soothe the put-off president of this former Soviet republic that helps move supplies and soldiers to the U.S.-led war in landlocked Afghanistan.
Tens of thousands of war-related flights have crossed over Azerbaijan since the Afghan war began in 2001, and last year alone about 100,000 U.S. and allied personnel passed through the country. Azerbaijan also is part of an overland supply chain that is a critical alternative to the primary land route through Pakistan. About one-quarter of all war goods come through the oil-rich Caspian Sea nation.
President Ilham Aliyev has complained that he gets too little attention from Washington and that U.S. officials have not done much to resolve a festering ethnic conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He is also irritated by mild U.S. criticism of his track record on human rights, press freedom and elections.
Gates met with Aliyev after attending a defense conference in Singapore, where he told reporters that his stop in Baku was meant to reassure the president that the United States does not take him for granted.
“It’s important to touch base and let them know they do play an important role,” said Gates, who was the highest ranking U.S. official to visit since President Barack Obama took office in January 2009.
Gates carried a letter to Aliyev from Obama. More high-level visits are in the offing, the Pentagon chief said.
Aliyev succeeded his long-ruling father in 2003 after an election that the opposition said was rigged. He won a landslide re-election in 2008 that international elections monitors called flawed. A referendum last year set him up to rule indefinitely. The country functions more as a monarchy than a republic.
The imperatives of fighting a long war in a country without seaports has forced the United States and NATO to cut deals with unsavory leaders and sometimes unscrupulous businesses that get goods and soldiers in and out.
The supply dilemma has been most apparent in Kyrgyzstan, home to an air base that is the main air transit hub for the war, but involves deals with other former Soviet republics and sometimes uneasy cooperation with Russia.
“I don’t feel that anybody in particular has us over a barrel,” Gates said. The transit routes “are the most efficient and cost-effective way” to supply the war. The U.S. isn’t overlooking undemocratic practices in the interest of expediency, Gates said.
“If you ask the leaders of these countries they’d say we have not ignored these issues,” he said.
Concern about creeping authoritarianism in Azerbaijan was one reason top U.S. leaders stayed away. Aliyev’s protests include postponing a joint military exercise with the U.S. and demanding that the U.S. go over its books to ensure Azerbaijan was properly paid for allowing commercial overflights.
The accounting turned up about $2 million in back fees owed by contractors, a U.S. official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the payments have not been completed. The Pentagon will pick up about $900,000 of that because some of the contractors it hired are no longer in business or are insolvent.
Strategically located between Russia and Iran, Azerbaijan is a crucial link in Western efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy exports and a target in Moscow’s tug-of-war with the U.S. over regional influence.
The U.S. and European Union have cultivated warm ties with the country beyond its utility in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan has abundant oil and gas and provides an energy export route bypassing Russia and Iran.
Russia has done the same, sealing a deal a year ago to buy 500 million cubic meters of gas annually.
Online
CIA background on Azerbaijan: tinyurl.com/25v2yq
(This version CORRECTS that Gates is highest ranking U.S. official to visit since Obama took office)
|
July 31, 2010: 1:15 am
Kind Attention We got married 05/03/2002, and have a daughter who took birth on 09/07/2005. My wife and her family lodged a case 498A/34 IPC, FIR NO.276, date 31/08/2009, P.S.: BAGUIATI, against me and some of my family members it’s a fabricated, baseless, legless, toothless and doesn’t have any commensurate to the fact. My wife is engaged and having an illicit affair with a boy (Sandip Samanta, S/O. Shankar Kumar Samanta S.B.I. Officer Ph. No. 9830366834, Branch: 24B, Nimtala Ghat Street, Jorabagan, Kolkata- 700006, West Bengal, India, Bank Ph. No. 033 25308337) just opposite to my house, all the matters are known to every person in my village, and also they have certified me written about my fresh character and nature. When my wife left form my house with Sandip Samanta taking many vory gold and cash 1.20 lack Indian rupees. What a demon she is! She didn’t take our only daughter (only four years old) who is now in my house having severe asthma supported by inhaler. My wife filed the 498A case dated 31/08/2009 and I was arrested on 06/09/2009,The Learn” ed court granted me on bail on 19/09/2009. Barasat court. I have lots of irrefutable evidences, (20 pcs. Adult S.M.S., Adult picture with the boy and a c.d.) with me where it is cleanly reveals which translates my wife and the boy that they are in illicit relations. Believe me I and my family would love very much (which is very rare seen in our society) to my wife and never any kind of love lost didn’t happen. They (My wife family) are very very poor and live in a bosti Address: 70/H/8 Manicktolla Main Road, Kolkata – 700054, Beside 5 Star Club, my mother saw 1st time and she arranged my marriage. Before marriage my family did not see the pedigree of my wife’s family, now we understood also realized that they hailed from a worst status. My wife, her family and (Sandip Samanta, S/O. Shankar Kumar Samanta) all they are misusing this law. Now my wife’s family knows all the affair-related matter. My wife left our only solitary daughter to me who is 4 years old having severe “Asthma Disease, depends on INHALER, here political Hide and seek, ducks and drakes and lots of unfair means are going on and the father of the parents (THE FATHER OF THE BOY WHO HAS ILLICIT RELATIONS WITH MY WIFE) are rich, so they are spending money to everywhere with a view to be escaped. Now I decided that in no way I can’t accept that demon wife. I hired a lawyer his name Mr. Kamelash Nandi. I don’t know what will be happened next? It’s an utterly a huge and a palpable offence subsequent to which the boy deserves severe and examplanary punishment so that no one can dare to abuse this law. My mother is a sugar present shies sugar is now 400. If possible please help me. Please investigate the matter thread barely and save me and my family. I leave here one question to every one that in this die-straits situation whom do I take care to myself (TRAGEDY), my daughter, or my mother(severe Diabetic)?. My wife filed another case me U/s. 125 Cr. P. C. Case NO.167/2009, date 16/12/2009.I am millions miles away from the genuine and authentic investigation and inquiry. No inquiry ,investigation were executed against the F.I.R lodged by my wife. It is very painful, lamentable as well as heart rendering, breath taking affair to me and my family. My heart bursts into guffaw when I see the nature of the inquiry and investigation. One thing is as clear as crystal to me that the law and the task of the law enforcing agencies vary from man to man. A new proverb is going to take birth very soon that “Justice for the rich and Injustice is for the poor” A rich reserves the right to indulge in any kind of heinous business but the poor is restricted to involve in any type of excellent deeds” To see all these my heart is about to come in the mouth and the ground under my feet gets shook. In a word all types of Law are for the poorest and the richest will enjoy the richest judgments from all quarters. After coming form the DumDum Central Jail, I mat with the BAGUIATI POLICE O.C. Mr. Goutam Mitra, and asked him politely: “ SIR I FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THAT I MADE SO MANY ENTIRIES INTO YOUR G.D.E. BUT YET NO ACTION SO FAR HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN FORM YOURSELF” then BAGUIATI POLICE O.C. Mr. Goutam Mitra, went through all my papers (20 pcs. Adult S.M.S., Adult picture with the boy, G.D.E, MANY MANY OTHER PAPERS RELATED TO MY CASE and TWO c.d.). After seeing all my papers he told me that I cannot take any action until and unless you lodge a case against all of them. Then I Prayed to the Ld. C.J.M at Barasat court to lodge the case, against the alleged person. (the payer to the Ld. C.J.M. is enclosed which is self-explanatory) after filing the case the BAGUIATI POLICE O.C. Mr. Goutam Mitra, and I.O. Mr. Prasenta Kumar Das, Mr. Ajay Kumar Ghosh, in stead of taking not any take proper investigation/ not take any action/ not take any type of query to recover my Cash and Gold form the house of Shankar Kumar Samanta, The BAGUIATI POLICE O.C. Mr. Goutam Mitra, and I.O. Mr. Prasenta Kumar Das, Mr. Ajay Kumar Ghosh, took my case as a Golden Goose, and how much money BAGUIATI POLICE O.C. Mr. Goutam Mitra, and I.O. Mr. Prasenta Kumar Das, Mr. Ajay Kumar Ghosh, has taken is well known to them. Neither he took any take proper investigation/ not take any action/not take any type of query nor he did roundup them against my case. When I saw that already near by 70-80 days went by “ I went to the BAGUIATI P.S. to know the status of the case then BAGUIATI POLICE I.O. Mr. Prasenta Kumar Das, Mr. Ajay Kumar Ghosh, became outraged me and my mother that if you ask about Shankar Kumar Samanta and his family I will sentence you and your family in the Jail, all their languages is so much filthy dirty which I cannot express front of you. With kindest regards, |
Dipak Kumar Adhikari