Turan, Azerbaijan
April 15 2010

US embassy responds to criticism by Azeri authorities

Baku, 15 April: Turan news agency has asked the US embassy in Baku to
comment on criticism against the USA voiced today by Ali Hasanov of
the Presidential Administration.

Terry Davidson, head of the public relations department [of the US
embassy] said: "The USA has long been supporting all efforts of
peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. As one of the co-chair
countries of the [OSCE] Minsk Group the USA understands that both
Azerbaijan and Armenia must accept the principle of settlement through
negotiations. From this point of view the USA can balance efforts".

It should be noted that Ali Hasanov accused the USA of pro-Armenian
bias and said that instead of putting pressure on Yerevan the USA
takes measures to take Armenia out of a difficult situation.