CONGRESSIONAL AID TO KARABAKH A "THREAT" TO US-AZERI TIES, WARNS DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
Asbarez
Jan 11th, 2010
Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Hafiz Pashayev
BAKU (Today.az)-Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister on Monday
threatened a possible breakdown in US-Azeri relations over a
decision by Congress to allocate $8 million in foreign aid to the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
Hafiz Pashayev described the decision to send humanitarian assistance
to the fledgling democracy as a "negative step" in Azeri-US relations.
"This move by the Congress may have a negative impact on the
Azerbaijan-U.S. relations," he told reporters at a press conference.
"But we hope this will not happen."
The U.S. House and Senate last December announced a far-reaching
Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) spending measure that included a $41 economic
aid package for Armenia, $8 million for "programs and activities"
in Nagorno Karabagh, and parity in Foreign Military Financing for
Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The move angered Azerbaijan, which has been lobbying the US congress
heavily in recent years against supporting Karabakh.
Pashayev, who served as the former Ambassador to the U.S, said he
considered the "Congress’s intervention in U.S. foreign policy as a
move contrary to Washington’s interests."
He said the decision came as a result of pressure from the "Armenian
American lobby in the United States."
"The intervention of Congress in the U.S. foreign policy is evident
not only in regard to Azerbaijan, but also for other countries,"
he said citing Middle East as another example.