US INFLUENCE IN AZERBAIJAN DECLINES

news.az
Mon 14 December 2009 | 12:27 GMT Text size:

Aslan Ismaylov "After the USSR collapse the attitude to the United
States in Azerbaijan was positive, while now we cannot say so.

The influence of the country in Azerbaijan declines. Therefore, if
Washington does not want to lose Azerbaijan as its partner in the
region, it should change its policy on Azerbaijan", lawyer Aslan
Ismaylov told commenting on the financial assistance to Karabakh
separatists by the United States.

"Their policy can affect the energy projects with participation
of the United States. Now they ask us to participate in Nabucco,
to support them in Afghanistan and other issues. How can we do ao
if they finance separatists and terrorists. How would the United
States perceive Azerbaijan’s financing of Al Gaeda? They would not
like it. We also do not like their financing of Karabakh separatists.

Azerbaijan has always fulfilled its obligations before the United
States and we haven’t got anything in response. A reasonable question
is why do we need this alliance, if the United States are rudely
violating our interests.

Certainly, the Armenian lobby played a certain role here, but
the decision was taken by the US Congress, therefore, our claims
regarding the US policy are quite fair. Moreover, by doing so the
United States is discrediting such concepts as democracy and human
rights. I have repeatedly been in the United States, I love this
country, but after they take just unfair actions on my country,
I lose any respect towards them. This is not only my opinion. It is
an opinion of the majority of our people", the lawyer said.