AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT PROTESTS U.S. CONGRESS’ AID TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH AGAIN

Trend News Agency
June 19 2009
Azerbaijan

Deputy of the Azerbaijani Parliament voiced protest against
the intention of the U.S. Congress to allocate financial aid to
Nagorno-Karabakh again.

"The United States is a strategic partner of Azerbaijan, therefore,
the parliament must protest the support to separatists," Deputy of
Parliament, Chairman of the People Front Party of Unified Azerbaijan
Party, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, told the Parliament.

As for 2009, the U.S. administration allocated $8 million financial
aid to Nagorno-Karabakh. The analogue aid was scheduled for 2010.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.

According to Hasanguliyev, the United States being one of the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group supports the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and at the same time allocates financial aid to separatists
of Nagorno-Karabakh and such actions are contrary to each other.

"If the U.S. Congress continues to render financial support to
the occupation regime, then how they could achieve the settlement
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan," the deputy said.

This issue must be discussed in the adjusted parliamentary committee
and appropriated statement must be adopted, Hasanguliyev said.