Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

BAKU: Ariel Cohen: Hillary Clinton To Engage In Intense Geopolitical

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • BAKU: Ariel Cohen: Hillary Clinton To Engage In Intense Geopolitical

    ARIEL COHEN: HILLARY CLINTON TO ENGAGE IN INTENSE GEOPOLITICAL DISCUSSIONS IN CAUCASUS

    TODAY.AZ
    http://www.today.az/news/politics/108002.html

    U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will engage in intense
    geopolitical discussions in the Caucasus and Turkey during her
    visit, the leading expert of the Heritage Foundation for Russian and
    Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy, member of Trend
    Expert Council, Ariel Cohen said.

    "Clinton will be meeting all three Caucasus presidents, which
    opens an opportunity to give a push for the Nagorno-Karabakh talks,
    stalled after almost two decades of Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani
    territory," he told Trend today. "U.S Secretary of State should also
    reiterate US support for Georgia territorial integrity and call to
    end the occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia."

    U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Azerbaijan on June
    6, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev said.

    During her visit, the Secretary of State is scheduled to meet with
    Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and the country's Foreign Minister
    Elmar Mammadyarov, Abdullayev said.

    He said during Clinton's visit it is planned to discuss the situation
    in the region, strategic partnerships, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
    as well as energy cooperation.

    "Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Armenia and Azerbaijan would
    listen to Clinton's calls for an equitable resolution, which should
    include liberation of the occupied Azerbaijan lands," he said. "After
    all, years of mediation by the Russian ex-president Dmitry Medvedev,
    who developed excellent relations with both Baku and Yerevan, have
    not resulted in a breakthrough."

    The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
    when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
    armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
    including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

    Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
    co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. -
    are currently holding peace negotiations.

    Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
    resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
    surrounding regions.

    "Another priority for the Secretary of State's visit to Baku,
    Azerbaijan, should be expression of support for the Caspian state and
    its president due to incessant Iranian terror activities and plotting,"
    he added.

    "Just recently, the media disclosed a US government report which
    revealed a massive Iranian-directed campaign to murder American and
    Israeli diplomats, their family members and others in the capital
    Baku," he stressed.

    "In Baku, Clinton, nevertheless should develop and discuss a program of
    anti-terrorism assistance to Azerbaijan, which includes train-and-equip
    package for the Azerbaijani security services and special forces,"
    he added.

    "Clinton should also acknowledge that the recent host of the popular
    Eurovision song contest, Azerbaijan demonstrates levels of inter-ethnic
    and inter-religious tolerance unknown in the broader Muslim world, let
    alone the neighboring Iran," he said. "At the same time, Secretary
    of State should reiterate American support for good governance,
    democratization, human rights and transparency in Azerbaijan, as it
    enjoys unprecedented oil and gas revenues."

Working...
X