World Net Daily WND.com
Jan 16 2010
U.S. interests in oil-rich region threatened
Meddling in Turkish-Armenian disagreements blamed
Posted: January 16, 2010
12:20 am Eastern
© 2010 WorldNetDaily
Editor’s Note: The following report is excerpted from Joseph Farah’s
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The United States is on the verge of damaging its relationship with
Azerbaijan, a development that could have a serious impact on
strategic interests in the Caspian region, an oil-rich area that has
other regional powers vying for influence, according to a report from
Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.
Azerbaijan officials are particularly incensed over U.S. insistence on
Turkey and Armenia re-establishing diplomatic relations without first
insisting that Azerbaijan re-establish its hold on an
Armenian-occupied portion of its own territory known as the Karabakh
region.
Their conclusion is that such recognition will make Armenia less
inclined to resolve the long-simmering issue with neighboring
Azerbaijan over which both countries have had occasional military
clashes. The situation now has become even more exacerbated as a
result of the recent Turkish-Armenian diplomatic recognition.
"While the U.S. provides strong moral and financial support to
Armenia, which occupies Azerbaijani lands, we do not see significant
assistance to Azerbaijan on the part of Washington," according to
Novruz Mammadov, who heads the international relations department of
the President’s Executive Office of Azerbaijan.
Mammadov pointed out Azerbaijani lands have been occupied by Armenian
Armed Forces.
"Armenia should withdraw from the occupied lands and shouldn’t
interfere in Azerbaijan’s interior affairs. After that, Azerbaijan may
conduct certain negotiations with the Armenian community in its
territory," Mammadov said.
"The involvement of the Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh in the
negotiations is possible only after a document is signed between
Azerbaijan and Armenia," Mammadov added. "After that, it is possible
to start negotiations on the condition of the Armenian community, the
return of internally displaced persons and rehabilitation work."
The developments appear to have been instigated in no small measure by
the Russians, who had encouraged Turkey to reopen diplomatic relations
with Armenia after almost a century of conflict between the two
neighboring countries.
The motive, however, appears to have been more suited to meet Russian
self-interest in getting Azerbaijan to look more favorably on
supplying oil to Russian-controlled pipelines and to get involved in
its South Stream pipeline that would help insure Russian control over
oil flowing to Europe.
Until recently, Azerbaijan had favored the Western-backed Nabucco
pipeline construction effort that would have gone through Turkey for
European consumption. But now, that’s about to change. Azerbaijan in
recent weeks has met with Russian officials to offer its vast oil
reserves.
According to regional experts, Azerbaijan became particularly incensed
over the recent appropriation by Congress of $8 million in
humanitarian assistance to Karabakh. Azerbaijani officials claim it
shows favoritism to the Armenian community in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh
region.
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