U.S CONGRESSMEN STRESS AZERBAIJAN’S SIGNIFICANCE IN LETTER TO U.S PRESIDENT

Trend News Agency
March 30 2010
Azerbaijan

Ten congressmen-members of the working group in the U.S. Congress on
Azerbaijan sent a letter to U.S President Barack Obama. It highlights
the importance of U.S-Azerbaijani relations, the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry said with reference to Azerbaijani embassy in the U.S.

"The letter, prepared by the U.S Congress members Bill Shuster,
Solomon Ortiz, Michael Conaway, Michael McMahon, Dan Burton, John
Boozman, Howard Coble, Sue Myrick, Denny Rehberg, Tim Ryan, said that
Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner of the United States.

Azerbaijan and the U.S. cooperate in energy, military cooperation,
the fight against terrorism. Azerbaijan supports the NATO operation
in Afghanistan allowing to transport goods to Afghanistan via its
territory.

"Azerbaijan remains a reliable partner of NATO and the EU in the
South Caucasus, making a coherent and effective contribution to the
achievement of common goals," the letter says.

The congressmen stress that amendment 907 of 1992, which prohibits
direct assistance to Azerbaijan by the U.S. government remains the
major obstacle to expand the strategic partnership between the two
countries and runs counter to U.S. national interests in the region.

Moreover, the letter stresses that the absence of U.S ambassador to
Azerbaijan since July 2009 creates unnecessary uncertainty.

"As one of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
the United States must be more active in the mediation mission,
together with Moscow and Paris," the letter says.