AZERBAIJAN PROTESTS TO USA OVER ALLOCATION OF AID TO KARABAKH
news.az
Dec 18 2009
Azerbaijan
US State Department Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the USA has presented
an official note to the US State Department over Congress’ allocation
of $8m in aid to Karabakh.
Ambassador Yashar Aliyev presented the official note from the Foreign
Ministry on 17 December. The note expresses Azerbaijan’s deep concern
at Congress’ adoption of a bill allocating $8m to the unrecognized
Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Yashar Aliyev said that the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan,
with the seven surrounding districts, was illegally occupation by
Armenia and the conduct of any US government programmes or activities
in Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan
without prior negotiations with Azerbaijan would be contrary to the
officially declared position of the United States on support for
the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its
internationally recognized borders.
In this regard, the Azerbaijani side urged the US government to
provide information on the matter.
The note also stated that the implementation of these programmes
without Azerbaijan’s permission would be viewed as US support for the
separatist regime and would contribute to the continued occupation
of these territories, as well as adversely affect the efforts to
resolve the conflict and undermine the image of the United States as
"an impartial mediator" within the OSCE Minsk Group.
The US side said it would provide a response note as soon as possible.