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MORNINGSTAR DENOUNCES AZERI PRESS REPORTS
http://asbarez.com/106783/morningstar-denounces-azeri-press-reports/
Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 | Posted by Contributor
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar has denounced the
Azeri state-run media for distorting his comments and alleging that he
praised Azerbaijan's democratic developments, reported James Morrison
in The Washington Times' Embassy Row column on Sunday.
After visiting Nakhichevan and not being allowed to visit Djulfa, the
Azeri state media attributed comments to Morningstar where he praised
democratic development in Azerbaijan.
In fact, Morrison reported that the US Embassy in Baku "issued a blunt
statement last week, accusing state media of distorting reports on Mr.
Morningstar's visit to the Nakhchivan [sic] region on Oct. 31 and Nov.
1."
"The ambassador did not make such comments to anyone, and any reports
claiming that he did so are not true," the embassy said of state media
coverage that said he praised the progress of democracy during his
trip to Nakhchivan, reported Morrison.
According to the Embassy Row report, the embassy said that contrary to
state media, Mr. Morningstar used the visit to highlight the poor
quality of democracy and human rights in Nakhchivan and made a point
of meeting with human rights activist Malahat Nasibova, the embassy
said.
"Ambassador Morningstar met with a wide range of leading governmental
and nongovernmental figures during his visit, including human rights
activist Malahat Nasibova, whose office he visited in a show of
support, and whose important work he praised during his public
comments. Ambassador Morningstar also called publicly and privately
for an open dialogue between local authorities and human rights
defenders such as Ms. Nasibova," the embassy said.
Read the entire Embassy Row article.
In a US Embassy statement on November 5, Morningstar stated that, when
he was recently in Nakhchivan, he "discussed at length with local
authorities one such site in Julfa, where, according to evidence from
credible sources, an ancient Armenian cemetery was desecrated or
destroyed. I regret that the authorities, citing security reasons,
made it impossible for me to visit the site and personally see what is
there."
"Ambassador Morningstar cannot take no for an answer," said Armenian
National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian at the
time. "He can either keep knocking on the Ilham Aliyev's door until
this baseless ban is lifted, or simply travel to the site of the
Djulfa cemetery on his own. Either way, it's clear that, as Americans,
we should neither sell arms to an Azerbaijani military that destroys
cemeteries, nor send any aid to a government in Baku that blocks U.S.
ambassadors from visiting sites of peace-time cultural desecration."
http://asbarez.com/106783/morningstar-denounces-azeri-press-reports/
Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 | Posted by Contributor
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar has denounced the
Azeri state-run media for distorting his comments and alleging that he
praised Azerbaijan's democratic developments, reported James Morrison
in The Washington Times' Embassy Row column on Sunday.
After visiting Nakhichevan and not being allowed to visit Djulfa, the
Azeri state media attributed comments to Morningstar where he praised
democratic development in Azerbaijan.
In fact, Morrison reported that the US Embassy in Baku "issued a blunt
statement last week, accusing state media of distorting reports on Mr.
Morningstar's visit to the Nakhchivan [sic] region on Oct. 31 and Nov.
1."
"The ambassador did not make such comments to anyone, and any reports
claiming that he did so are not true," the embassy said of state media
coverage that said he praised the progress of democracy during his
trip to Nakhchivan, reported Morrison.
According to the Embassy Row report, the embassy said that contrary to
state media, Mr. Morningstar used the visit to highlight the poor
quality of democracy and human rights in Nakhchivan and made a point
of meeting with human rights activist Malahat Nasibova, the embassy
said.
"Ambassador Morningstar met with a wide range of leading governmental
and nongovernmental figures during his visit, including human rights
activist Malahat Nasibova, whose office he visited in a show of
support, and whose important work he praised during his public
comments. Ambassador Morningstar also called publicly and privately
for an open dialogue between local authorities and human rights
defenders such as Ms. Nasibova," the embassy said.
Read the entire Embassy Row article.
In a US Embassy statement on November 5, Morningstar stated that, when
he was recently in Nakhchivan, he "discussed at length with local
authorities one such site in Julfa, where, according to evidence from
credible sources, an ancient Armenian cemetery was desecrated or
destroyed. I regret that the authorities, citing security reasons,
made it impossible for me to visit the site and personally see what is
there."
"Ambassador Morningstar cannot take no for an answer," said Armenian
National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian at the
time. "He can either keep knocking on the Ilham Aliyev's door until
this baseless ban is lifted, or simply travel to the site of the
Djulfa cemetery on his own. Either way, it's clear that, as Americans,
we should neither sell arms to an Azerbaijani military that destroys
cemeteries, nor send any aid to a government in Baku that blocks U.S.
ambassadors from visiting sites of peace-time cultural desecration."