FRIED: US WILL DISCUSS ALL ITS FURTHER STEPS ON IRAN WITH AZERBAIJAN
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 14 2006
The US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
Daniel Fried on a visit in Baku held a press conference today (APA).
The Assistant Secretary of State said that the delegation he led had
talks with Azerbaijani officials, NGO and opposition representatives
in the two-day visit in Baku.
Reminding that he met with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov, Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev, the
diplomat said that the discussions focused on the Garabagh conflict,
development of democracy as well as regional issues. Mr.Fried also said
Iran’s nuclear programme was also discussed in the talks and added the
US will discuss all its further steps concerning Iran with Azerbaijan.
Calling the negotiations in Rambouillet to be unsuccessful, the
American diplomat thinks Azerbaijani displaced persons should be sent
to their native homes as soon as possible and added that the outbreak
of war will result in calamity for all.
Mr.Fried also expressed satisfaction of the successfful development
of military cooperation between US and Azerbaijan and said the
delegation includes a military expert too. Fried also reported that
he will leave for Tbilisi, Yerevan and Ankara after that. Though the
American diplomat said the Nagorno Garabagh issue will be discussed
in Yerevan, he did not publicize the details.
Refereeing to the upcoming re-elections in Azerbaijan, the diplomat
said a powerful state must have a powerful opposition at the same time,
the US wants to see a powerful Azerbaijan namely for this reason.
Commenting on US attack plans on Iran, Fried said, “We do not consider
the possibility of this issue, we want the world community make Iran
refrain from its nuclear programme.”
Fried also commented on Kocharyan’s statement that Armenia will
recognize the independence of Nagorno Garabagh if the negotiating
process yields no results. Fried said that the problem cannot be
solved by such statements.