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  • BAKU: Experts Believe Azerbaijan - U.S. Relations Not To Experience

    EXPERTS BELIEVE AZERBAIJAN - U.S. RELATIONS NOT TO EXPERIENCE DRASTIC CHANGES AFTER OBAMA'S ELECTION

    Trend News Agency
    Nov 5 2008
    Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan, Baku, 5 November /Trend News/ Democrat Barack Obama won
    the presidential election in the United States.

    What changes in the United States' foreign policy for Azerbaijan are
    expected? May the United States' approach towards settling of the
    Nagorno-Karabakh conflict change?

    Trend News agency posed the questions to experts and political
    scientists:

    Ali Hasanov, the head of the Socio-Political Department of the
    Azerbaijani President's Office: Azerbaijan-U.S. relations are of
    both nations' interests and they should be maintained in terms of
    partnership. Whoever will head the country, the policy based on the
    people's choice must be continued.

    Certainly, the best president is the one elected by the people. If the
    American people have elected Barack Obama, so the wishes and hopes
    of the people will be reflected in his further activity. And that
    is to Azerbaijan's good, because the state interests of Azerbaijan
    coincide with those of the American people.

    The policy formed under the influence of any diaspora in most cases
    does not meet the interests of Americans. To put it more precisely,
    the endeavours of the Armenian diaspora to direct the policy of the
    US Government do not meet the interests of the American people.

    Therefore, whoever the president will be, the United States will show
    preference for common interests, the state and national interests. And
    this policy meets the interests of Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, the
    US policy is based not only on the wish of the American people, but
    sometimes is influenced by certain diasporas. That does not meet the
    common interests of our countries.

    U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse: The United States will keep
    adhering to development of bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, and
    the new U.S. administration will only change the methods to achieve
    the goal. And the goal will remain the same - to achieve peace and
    stability in the region.

    United States' main focus in the region will be to develop the
    bilateral relations in terms of energy security, to develop democracy
    and stability in the region. Azerbaijan will still take an important
    place in the foreign policy of the United States.

    Independent Azerbaijani political expert Rustam Mammadov: The
    U.S. interests are over the interests of the presidents. If president
    decides to make any changes in the interests, he must first coordinate
    them with the all state organizations. Probably, some improvement of
    the management model will take place, but that is most likely to be
    linked not with the new president but with a new activity stage of
    the American statehood.

    Anyway, I do not believe any serious change will take place in the
    U.S. policy. Moreover, Barack Obama visited Baku and is well aware
    of the situation. Further cooperation between the United States and
    Azerbaijan must be provided.

    Independent Azerbaijani political scientist Vafa Guluzade:
    The new U.S. President will correct the changes made by the Bush
    Administration, particularly those in the Islamic world. The United
    States proved its democracy through this election.

    Many say that Barack Obama tends to support Armenians, but I think
    he should try to unyoke Armenia from Russia and help it to normalize
    relations with neighbours as many will benefit from it, in other words,
    Armenia will normalize its ties with neighbours and Azerbaijan will
    recover Nagorno-Karabakh.

    Isa Gambar, chief of right central opposition Musavat Party of
    Azerbaijan: Usually, new US president does not make profound changes
    in foreign policy. The United States supports foreign policy built
    on conceptual framework. New presidents continue foreign policy
    consistent with US interest. Barack Obama's election as president
    can bring about some changes. Given Obama's promise to recognize
    so-called "genocide" of Armenians, analysts say new president will
    not depend on oil sector of US. These two factors can be reasons for
    Obama's different approach towards the region and ongoing processes
    in Azerbaijan. Therefore, Azerbaijan should take into account all
    these realities and make every effort to bring into the notice of
    elite and new US Administration the significance of the region, its
    problems and interests in a more accurate way. I think this approach
    also concerns Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Russia's becoming more active
    in the region and Moscow's attempts to force US out of this region
    should be taken into consideration by US.

    Aydin Mirzazade, member of Political Council of governing New
    Azerbaijan Party: Barack Obama's election as president will
    not lead to radical changes in Azerbaijan-US ties. They are
    partners. Azerbaijan makes its own contribution to the war on terror
    and ensures energy security in the region. Concerning settlement of the
    Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, I think new US president will work hard
    to protect internal policy of the country within the coming two years
    and then to get actively involved in the resolution of the conflict.

    Ali Karimli, chief of right central opposition Popular Front Party of
    Azerbaijan: Most probably, US foreign policy will not undergo cardinal
    changes during Barack Obama's term of office as whoever is president,
    it serves national interests.

    Lately, US supported territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. This is
    a position of a state, but not only George Bush administration. We
    should do nothing and wait for new administration to clarify position
    towards Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We should advance some initiative,
    further strengthen US-Azerbaijani ties and make every effort so that
    US will accept Azerbaijan's territorial integrity as a key principle
    in resolution of the conflict.

    MP Siyavush Novruzov, deputy chief of New Azerbaijan Party:
    Azerbaijan-US ties will not undergo changes during Barack Obama
    presidency. Whoever takes a lead in US administration - Democrats or
    Republicans, the United States will pursue consistent policy. New
    US administration is also willing to solve Armenian-Azerbaijan
    Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is favourable for US first of all.
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