U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan: We support the liberal reforms conducted by the government of Azerbaijan

One can not regard as stable the development dynamics of America-Azerbaijan relations in the recent years. The relations sometimes have period of rise and sometimes period of fall. What is the level of the relations between the two countries?

Generally, periods of rise and fall are normal for the relations between states. Azerbaijan-US relations are developing positively. I should admit that there were some difficulties in our relations. But our contacts now, particularly within the past few weeks offered opportunities to eliminate these difficulties. The main thing is that our countries are demonstrating will to reach an understanding. The relations between the Azerbaijani and US governments are improving. I consider this a positive factor.

Azerbaijan-America joint exercises were postponed in the period of some difficulties as you characterized it. How is the probability of holding these exercises as the relations have been normalized?

As you know the exercises were simply postponed, not canceled. Postponement is not unordinary in the joint events between the states. As regards our exercises, as far as I know, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s wanted to defer the exercise to a later date. I am not aware of its reason. But we understood this wish. Such joint events require mutual planning and coordination. The military relations between the US and Azerbaijan are good enough. As I have said we have taken a new direction. At present we are thinking over the protection of Azerbaijan’s offshore energy infrastructure from any kind of threats. This is a new direction. Years ago when we started military cooperation we did not have such plans. But now we are working on all of them.

Azerbaijan has recently announced new rules for the registration of foreign NGOs in the country. Following this, the National Democratic Institute of the US stopped its activity in the country. Is there something new in the re-registration of the National Democratic Institute?

The National Democratic Institute was obliged to stop its activity in Baku. But the institute plans to undergo necessary legislative procedures for re-registration. It also includes a memorandum of understanding that the Azerbaijani legislation requires. There is a different legal basis for the foreign and local non-governmental organizations and the representatives of the institution are conducting necessary documentation work to respond it. We are very hopeful that the process will be successful and the documents of the National Democratic Institute for registration will be accepted by the government of Azerbaijan.

The recent meeting of a group of Western diplomats with three opposition party leaders was not accepted synonymously in the political circles. Some forces assessed it as an interference of the West in the domestic affairs of Azerbaijan…

I know that some people condemned even me despite that I didn’t attend that meeting. I would like to say synonymously that me and my government don’t intend to interfere in the domestic affairs of Azerbaijan. We see the government and society of Azerbaijan as our partner. We have common interests and targets, which include the democratic development and market economy reforms as well. We fully support these reforms, including the anti-corruption campaign too. I don’t consider that this is an attempt to interfere in the domestic affairs of Azerbaijan. We support the liberal reforms conducted by the government of Azerbaijan.

The comprehensive measures started by the Azerbaijani leadership recently are widely welcomed in the country. How do you assess the anti-corruption measures?

We welcome these measures. We witness the positive ideas of different people, beginning from ordinary people to owners, about this campaign. The people are satisfied that they don’t pay groundlessly. We hear that police, customs and other government organizations are working transparently. We welcome it and hope that this is a beginning. As the president said it is not a campaign, but systematic policy. We welcome it.

You have been working as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is engaging in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. You deeply learned the problem. Now you are not directly involved in the negotiations, but you are aware of this process. What do you think, how long distance we have to overcome toward the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia?

I am not a co-chair now, but I do my best to support co-chair Bradtke. I guess there is a certain progress in the negotiations. Certainly it is difficult to suppose when the negotiations will move rapidly and when the peace agreement will be reached. But I can say that the situation became better than previous period a few months ago. I can say in this context that the progress is observed.


/APA/