Azerbaijan"s increased shadow lobbying in the US Capital: Where does the money go?

Seeking to influence the policymaking in Washington, despite its breaking up with western institutions back at home, the Azerbaijani government last year increased spending for DC lobbyists, marking the country among 10 top foreign spenders in the US capital, TURAN's Washington correspondent was informed by the official sources.

The Azeri diplomatic missions in Washington DC and Los Angeles, along with state oil company (SOCAR), International Bank of Azerbaijan and an oligarch-son lead diaspora group, have hired at least 8 lobbying firms, including some of Washington's most influential, such as Podesta Group, Patton Boggs, Bob Lawrence & Associates, JWI, LLC (dba Jefferson Waterman International), as well as some regional Roberti + White, Tool Shed Group, The Potomac Square Group and Fabiani& Company, with a total spending of at least $2.3 million, according to a review of US government records.

Most of the transactions (over $1.2 m) were operated during the months of January-July, while the rest were paidbetween October 15-December12, at the time when oil-rich country's leadership was lashing out at the US administration for its criticism over the presidential poll that saw Aliyev claim a third term with a crushing victory to extend his family's decades-long rule.

Georgia, also with spending of $2.3min 2013, was ranked number 9th on Washington's top 10 foreign spenders list. Other 8 countries were UAE ($14.2m), Germany ($12m), Canada ($11.2m), Saudi Arabia ($11m) Mexico ($6m) Morocco ($4m), South Korea ($3.9m) and Bosnian Serb Republic ($2.4m), according to records kept by the US Department of Justice, which requires public disclosure of lobbying activities.

Among other post-Soviet countries, Russia marks #40th in the 2013 foreign spenders list, by spending of total $448K, following Tajikistan ($600K), Ukraine ($593,588) and Kazakhstan ($543,780).

Armenia, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan don't currently retain any lobbyists in the US capital. In the meantime, there are several influential Armenian-American diaspora groups that act on behalf of Yerevan's interests, pushingmostly topics, such asNagorno-Karabakh, 1915 eventsamong the local legislative communities.

Early this month, the Armenian diaspora convinced the lawmakers of State Senate of California of adopting legislation to support the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, a move that Baku sees as a violation of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territorial integrity. California wasthe 5th US state (after Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine and Louisiana) that took such step.

In its part, the Azeri lobby money isreportedly being spent on primarily launching the congressionalmeetings, fancy gala dinners, as well as organizing visits of state and legislative officers to Baku, ordebating with local think-tanks, media groups over the "country's public relations," as it's being described in official records.

None of the lobbying firms, contacted by TURAN's correspondent, would comment on the record. The Embassy of Azerbaijan couldn't be reached immediately.

In the meantime, one former Washington-based lobbyist familiar with the topic, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TURAN's correspondent that despite the increased money spending by the Azeri government, the US-Azerbaijani Convention, which took place in Washington DC early this month,was described as "the least productive ever" comparing with the previous years' events.

"Only a few congressional officials attended the sessions and they were surrounded by the [event] organizers," he said.   In fact, he added, none of the Azeri officials, "by using this opportunity, expressed interest in actively engaging with the international media outlets, regarding the topics that bother the country."

Several independent analysts and critics of the Azeri government were excluded from the convention.

AlakbarRaufoglu

Washington, DC