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  • U.S. - Azerbajani Relations

    U.S. - AZERBAJANI RELATIONS

    Voice of America
    12 October 2008

    U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte recently visited
    Azerbaijan. He said the United States and Azerbaijan share important
    interests and cooperate closely on many issues.

    The U.S. and Azerbaijan are partners in working for regional and global
    stability. American and Azerbaijani soldiers stand side by side in Iraq
    and Afghanistan. "The contributions of Azerbaijan to these security
    priorities," said Mr. Negroponte, "are greatly appreciated by the
    American government and the American people." The United States will
    continue to assist Azerbaijan in reforming its defense establishment
    under NATO's Partnership for Peace program.

    U.S. and Azerbaijan are also strategic partners in expanding the
    supply of energy links between the Caucasus region and Europe. The
    U.S. is working with Azerbaijan to pursue the Turkey-Greece-Italy
    and Nabucco natural gas pipelines, as well as expand oil transit
    opportunities. All these ventures help achieve the goal of diversifying
    and thereby securing energy supplies in European and global markets.

    Azerbaijan will soon face a test of its democratic progress, as the
    country prepares to vote in presidential elections on October 15th. In
    addition to incumbent President Ilham Aliyev, six other candidates
    are running for office.

    The upcoming election, said Deputy Secretary Negroponte, "represents an
    opportunity for Azerbaijan to demonstrate its commitment to democratic
    reform by holding an election that is assessed by it own people and
    the international community to be free, fair, and transparent." Since
    1993 no election in Azerbaijan has fully met international democratic
    standards.

    In light of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of
    Georgia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte stressed that the
    U.S. and its European allies "support the sovereignty, independence,
    and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as Azerbaijan, and
    Armenia." In this environment, said Mr. Negroponte, the U.S., now
    more than ever, wants to help Azerbaijan find a peaceful solution to
    the ethnic conflict in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

    The United States will continue to support the well-being and security
    of Azerbaijan and its neighbors in the South Caucasus.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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