U.S. – AZERBAJANI RELATIONS

Voice of America
12 October 2008

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte recently visited
Azerbaijan. He said the United States and Azerbaijan share important
interests and cooperate closely on many issues.

The U.S. and Azerbaijan are partners in working for regional and global
stability. American and Azerbaijani soldiers stand side by side in Iraq
and Afghanistan. "The contributions of Azerbaijan to these security
priorities," said Mr. Negroponte, "are greatly appreciated by the
American government and the American people." The United States will
continue to assist Azerbaijan in reforming its defense establishment
under NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.

U.S. and Azerbaijan are also strategic partners in expanding the
supply of energy links between the Caucasus region and Europe. The
U.S. is working with Azerbaijan to pursue the Turkey-Greece-Italy
and Nabucco natural gas pipelines, as well as expand oil transit
opportunities. All these ventures help achieve the goal of diversifying
and thereby securing energy supplies in European and global markets.

Azerbaijan will soon face a test of its democratic progress, as the
country prepares to vote in presidential elections on October 15th. In
addition to incumbent President Ilham Aliyev, six other candidates
are running for office.

The upcoming election, said Deputy Secretary Negroponte, "represents an
opportunity for Azerbaijan to demonstrate its commitment to democratic
reform by holding an election that is assessed by it own people and
the international community to be free, fair, and transparent." Since
1993 no election in Azerbaijan has fully met international democratic
standards.

In light of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of
Georgia, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Negroponte stressed that the
U.S. and its European allies "support the sovereignty, independence,
and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as Azerbaijan, and
Armenia." In this environment, said Mr. Negroponte, the U.S., now
more than ever, wants to help Azerbaijan find a peaceful solution to
the ethnic conflict in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The United States will continue to support the well-being and security
of Azerbaijan and its neighbors in the South Caucasus.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress