ID :
95496
Thu, 12/17/2009 - 15:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/95496
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AZERBAIJANI-AMERICAN COUNCIL PROTESTS AGAINST US CONGRESS`S DIRECT AID TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Baku, December 17 (AzerTAc). Azerbaijani-American Council (AAC) expressed its severe disturbance with the decision of U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday to allocate $8 million in direct aid to Nagorno-Karabakh as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget.
According to the AAC`s statement, the position taken by the U.S. Congress contradicts the official position of the country expressed by the U.S. State Department, that is, recognizing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
AAC expressed deep concern over the fact that the U.S. legislators are essentially rewarding the regime responsible for acts of mass ethnic cleansing and are prolonging the suffering of Azerbaijani IDPs unable to return to their homes amidst severe economic recession and unprecedented increase in unemployment rate.
“The decision to allocate direct aid to Karabakh Armenian separatists also damages the U.S. position vis-a-vis Azerbaijan and South Caucasus region, serves to derail the Karabakh peace process and to undermine the U.S. position as a neutral negotiator and a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group,” AAC stated.
“The lawmakers also decided to maintain the military aid parity to Azerbaijan and Armenia, contradicting the U.S. foreign policy in a broader region. In past eight years since 9/11 attacks, Azerbaijan remained a staunch ally of the United States and provided overflight permissions to U.S. military planes, participated in peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo, became the first Muslim nation to send its troops in support of the U.S. operation in Iraq, built and maintained the operation of a strategic Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to deliver Caspian hydrocarbons to Western markets, remained to be the only Muslim country in strategic partnership with Israel,” it says.
The AAC called the U.S. lawmakers to take a more balanced position and to stop unfairly punishing Azerbaijan under the influence of over-zealous ethnic lobbies.
According to the AAC`s statement, the position taken by the U.S. Congress contradicts the official position of the country expressed by the U.S. State Department, that is, recognizing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
AAC expressed deep concern over the fact that the U.S. legislators are essentially rewarding the regime responsible for acts of mass ethnic cleansing and are prolonging the suffering of Azerbaijani IDPs unable to return to their homes amidst severe economic recession and unprecedented increase in unemployment rate.
“The decision to allocate direct aid to Karabakh Armenian separatists also damages the U.S. position vis-a-vis Azerbaijan and South Caucasus region, serves to derail the Karabakh peace process and to undermine the U.S. position as a neutral negotiator and a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group,” AAC stated.
“The lawmakers also decided to maintain the military aid parity to Azerbaijan and Armenia, contradicting the U.S. foreign policy in a broader region. In past eight years since 9/11 attacks, Azerbaijan remained a staunch ally of the United States and provided overflight permissions to U.S. military planes, participated in peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo, became the first Muslim nation to send its troops in support of the U.S. operation in Iraq, built and maintained the operation of a strategic Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to deliver Caspian hydrocarbons to Western markets, remained to be the only Muslim country in strategic partnership with Israel,” it says.
The AAC called the U.S. lawmakers to take a more balanced position and to stop unfairly punishing Azerbaijan under the influence of over-zealous ethnic lobbies.
