Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Aug 20 2005
Reno Harnish: “The USA supports realization of the political
processes in Azerbaijan only by means of evolution”
20 August 2005 [09:41] – Today.Az
The USA ambassador Reno Harnish held a press-conference today in
connection with his visit to the Guba-Khachmaz region.
According to the information of the north bureau of APA, the ambassador
said that the goal of his visit was to be acquainted with the regions:
“We often visit the regions in order to be acquainted with facts in
the regions. At first, we pay attention to that how USA economic aids
are utilized”.
He informed that a milk production enterprise in Khachmaz, bee-keeping
farm, carpet-making enterprise in Guba started activity thanks to the
grants of USA. The ambassador saying that they will also meet with
the structures representing ethnical minorities noted that he already
met with the representatives of the Lezghin and Jewish communities
and one specialist on the Islam religion.
The ambassador also noted that his visit has special significance
on the eve of the parliamentary elections to be held in November and
said that he met with the executive heads and members of the parties.
As to the opinion of the ambassador noting existence of the forces
interested in straining the pre-election situation, some people want
to conduct elections in an old form: “The president informed that
he supports conduction of normal elections. But some persons try
to prevent the right of gathering in the regions. Resources of the
government are used for some candidates in signature gathering. This
is an old tradition. When saying it, I intend some forces in the
authority. They are against of giving the right of gathering to the
people in the decree issued by the president in May. I consider that
this also troubles the supporters of conduction of normal election
elections in Azerbaijan”.
The ambassador calling these parliamentary elections to be the “most
interesting elections” said that the USA supports realization of the
political processes in Azerbaijan only by means of evolution: “We
support realization of the political changes by means of elections.
Some respectable persons representing USA visited Azerbaijan.
M.Albright, deputy of the state secretary and me informed that we
support only conduction of the democratic elections in Azerbaijan.
While I am the ambassador in Azerbaijan, I will continue by visits.
It is impossible to get all information only sitting in Baku. We must
establish connection with all layers of the population. That is, I
am not the supporter of any political force’s seizing the power. The
USA elects neither political parties, nor candidates”.
The ambassador calling the USA to be the friend of Azerbaijan
stressed that they share their opinions with the authority and carry
out trainings for the political parties for normal conduction of the
elections. R.Harnish welcoming the decrees on abolishing imprisonment
on the persons arrested during the events happened on October 16
valued this as a positive step of the government.
The diplomat touching the solution of the Garabagh conflict stressed
once again that he supports peaceful solution of the problem. The
ambassador called the Moscow meeting of the MFA heads and Kazan
meeting of the presidents to be important events.
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