HAFIZ PASHAYEV: "PRO-ARMENIAN PROMISES OF THE CANDIDATES FOR US PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY"
Today.Az, Azerbaijan
June 12 2008
Day.Az blitz-interview with Hafiz Pashayev, deputy foreign minister
of Azerbaijan, rector of diplomatic academy, first ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to the United States
(1993-2006).
– Armenian national committee of the United States has declared that
candidate for the US president from democrats Barak Obama will promote
improvement of US policy towards Armenian issues. In turn, the activist
of the Azerbaijani diaspora in the United States announced that Obama,
"finished" by Armenians is the least preferable candidate for the US
President in Azerbaijan. Do you share this opinion?
– Certainly, not. The promises of the candidates for president
during the election campaign indeed can be considered in the sense
of Armenians’ influence on them, but I think it wrong to make such
conclusions, you have mentioned. I think this approach is naive,
considering the past experience of election campaigns in America.
I consider that the fundamental reality is that any US President
will be loyal to the interests of the United States, therefore, the
promises of the candidates during the election campaign should not
be taken too seriously.
– Thus, we can be confident that this time the pro-Armenian
announcements of one of the participants of the pre-election racing
in the United States, in particular, regarding the need to recognize
the so-called "Armenian genocide" by Washington are a PR campaign.
– Yes, Armenians will be active, discuss these issues, impose pressure
on official Washington, but as I have already noted that the main
issue is the interests of the United States and they are mainly
connected with strong ally relations with Turkey.
– And with Azerbaijan in this sense?
– Yes, and with us too.
– Thus, it is not important for us who wins the presidential elections:
either Republican McCain or democrat Obama?
– No, I think the victory of democrats of republicans is an internal
affair of the United States. For us the most important of the US
external policy. Any president, either republican or democrat, will
be loyal to the interests of the United States.
– Can Azerbaijan count on preservation of succession of the US policy
towards our country regarding of the results of elections?