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STATE DEPARTMENT SLAMS BAKU FOR BLOCKING U.S. DELEGATION VISIT
September 11, 2013 - 11:26 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The visit by a U.S. delegation to Azerbaijan has
been postponed until after the country's Oct 9 presidential election.
According to RFE/RL, a spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Baku said
the visit, which was to have been led by Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Thomas Melia, was postponed at the request of the Azerbaijani
government.
The delegation had been expected in Baku from the Georgian capital,
Tbilisi, on Sept 9 to observe preparations for the presidential poll.
In Tbilisi, Melia's delegation met with officials to discuss
preparations for Georgia's Oct 27 presidential election. The U.S.
embassy in Baku expressed regret and added that the embassy continues
to monitor the pre-election environment in Azerbaijan and to encourage
a free and fair electoral process.
Using unusually direct and decidedly undiplomatic language, the U.S.
Department of State has sharply criticized Baku for the surprise move.
In a sign that the State Department may be edging away from
its flawed practice of artificial even-handedness in public
statements about Armenia and Azerbaijan, U.S. diplomats have begun
specifically "laundry-listing" Baku's many democratic shortcomings and
corruption-based problems, the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) said.
The State Department issued the following statement: "The U.S. regrets
that the government of Azerbaijan has objected to the composition of
a U.S. delegation that was to make an official pre-election visit to
Azerbaijan. As a result, the visit will not take place. The Azerbaijani
government's actions raise questions about the environment leading
up to the Oct 9 presidential election. We call on the government of
Azerbaijan to ensure a free and fair electoral process that reflects
the will of the people. We urge Azerbaijani authorities to respect
the freedoms of assembly, association, and speech as well as the rule
of law and due process before, during, and after the presidential
contest. We also urge the authorities to facilitate the important
work of domestic as well as international election monitors."
From: Baghdasarian
September 11, 2013 - 11:26 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The visit by a U.S. delegation to Azerbaijan has
been postponed until after the country's Oct 9 presidential election.
According to RFE/RL, a spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Baku said
the visit, which was to have been led by Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Thomas Melia, was postponed at the request of the Azerbaijani
government.
The delegation had been expected in Baku from the Georgian capital,
Tbilisi, on Sept 9 to observe preparations for the presidential poll.
In Tbilisi, Melia's delegation met with officials to discuss
preparations for Georgia's Oct 27 presidential election. The U.S.
embassy in Baku expressed regret and added that the embassy continues
to monitor the pre-election environment in Azerbaijan and to encourage
a free and fair electoral process.
Using unusually direct and decidedly undiplomatic language, the U.S.
Department of State has sharply criticized Baku for the surprise move.
In a sign that the State Department may be edging away from
its flawed practice of artificial even-handedness in public
statements about Armenia and Azerbaijan, U.S. diplomats have begun
specifically "laundry-listing" Baku's many democratic shortcomings and
corruption-based problems, the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) said.
The State Department issued the following statement: "The U.S. regrets
that the government of Azerbaijan has objected to the composition of
a U.S. delegation that was to make an official pre-election visit to
Azerbaijan. As a result, the visit will not take place. The Azerbaijani
government's actions raise questions about the environment leading
up to the Oct 9 presidential election. We call on the government of
Azerbaijan to ensure a free and fair electoral process that reflects
the will of the people. We urge Azerbaijani authorities to respect
the freedoms of assembly, association, and speech as well as the rule
of law and due process before, during, and after the presidential
contest. We also urge the authorities to facilitate the important
work of domestic as well as international election monitors."
From: Baghdasarian