ACTIONS OF ARMENIAN LOBBY NEGATIVELY IMPACTS ON WASHINGTON’S INTERESTS: DEPUTY MINISTER
Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 13 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / The actions of the
Armenian lobby in the United States, directed against Azerbaijan
and Turkey, negatively impacts on Washington’s interests in the
region, Hafiz Pashayev, the Azerbaijani Deputy Minister, former
Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States, said. He was addressing
the international conference ‘ Azerbaijan – Turkey – USA’ in Washington
on 12 December.
"A negative impact in a powerful country like the United States
within the political lobbying system, from a small group who has
ethnic interests for national security and foreign policy, is very
dangerous," Pashayev said.
According to Pashayev, the US Government frequently makes decisions
in favor of lobby groups, which finally leads to geopolitical
and strategic losses for the United States. "The US policy on the
construction of the Baku-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway is a good example of
this. Though the project meets the geopolitical and economic goals of
the US foreign policy, anti-Turk and anti-Azerbaijani forces in the
United States lobbying the US Congress have prevented the US being
involved in this vital regional initiative," the deputy minister.