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U.S. And The Caucasus

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  • U.S. And The Caucasus

    U.S. AND THE CAUCASUS

    VOice of America
    29 June 2008

    Reflecting the Views of the
    United States Government

    U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
    Daniel Fried said U.S. policy toward the South Caucasus is "to help
    the nations of this region travel along the same path toward freedom,
    democracy and market-based economies that so many of their neighbors
    to the West have traveled."

    Speaking to the U.S. House of Representative's Foreign Affairs
    Committee, Assistant Secretary Fried said the U.S. believes that
    the ultimate place of these nations, which are part of wider Europe,
    ought to depend on their own choice and their own success, or lack
    of success, in meeting the standards of democracy, the rule of law,
    and responsible foreign and regional policies that the transatlantic
    community has established. The U.S., he said, does not believe "that
    any outside power - neither Russian nor any other - should have a
    sphere of influence over these countries; no outside power should be
    able to threaten, pressure, or block the sovereign choice of these
    nations to join with the institutions of Europe and the transatlantic
    family if they so choose and we so choose."

    Assistant Secretary Fried noted that Georgia, Azerbaijan and
    Armenia are ancient nations but still new as nation states. "They
    are navigating a double transition," he said. "They must throw off
    the failed communist institutions of the past and build new ones to
    replace them, including in many cases entirely new systems - such
    as modern banking and financial systems to support their newly free
    economies - where none existed before."

    The U.S. welcomes Azerbaijan's progress on security cooperation and
    diversification of energy supplies and values Azerbaijan's troop
    contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet the U.S. remains concerned
    about a lag in democratic reforms in Azerbaijan, including respect
    for fundamental freedoms.

    The U.S. supports Armenia's regional integration. A major step in
    this regard would be the peaceful, just, and lasting settlement of
    the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Achieving normal relations between
    Armenia and Turkey is another U.S. concern. But Armenia's greatest
    challenge is to strengthen its democratic institutions and processes,
    including respect for human rights.

    Georgia has made progress, but it too is challenged with building
    strong democratic institutions and processes to match its commitment
    to economic and commercial reform. Assistant Secretary Fried said the
    U.S. will continue to be steadfast and supportive of the advance of
    democracy and freedom in the South Caucasus region.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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