DANIEL FRIED: BELLICOSE RHETORIC THAT SOMETIMES COMES OUT OF BAKU IS UNHELPFUL AND IS FOR DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION

arminfo
2008-06-20 17:42:00

ArmInfo. ‘We believe that the bellicose rhetoric that sometimes comes
out of Baku is unhelpful and is for domestic consumption,’ US Assistant
Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried
said when asked to comment on a rise in bellicose rhetoric from the
Azerbaijan government.

‘What we have done, and I have done personally, is explain to
Azerbaijan’s government that warlike rhetoric can force a very damaging
cycle of rhetoric, counter-rhetoric and incidents.’

‘They deny that they have an intention to precipitate a conflict,’
he added. ‘We’ve also explained to them, frankly, that Azerbaijan’s
wealth comes from the export of gas and oil and that a war puts that
at risk very quickly. It’s also the judgment of the United States
that Azerbaijan does not have military superiority over Armenia and
that a war would be costly to both sides and unwinnable by either one.’