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ANS TV, Azerbaijan
June 12 2012
Azeri official says US state secretary's visit "historic"
A senior Azerbaijani official has described the 6 June visit to Baku
by US State Secretary Hillary Clinton as "historic".
Speaking on private ANS TV's "Ahata Dairasi" ("Sphere of Influence")
programme on 10 June, the director of the foreign policy department at
the Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov, said that Azerbaijan
expected the visit to yield results in two main spheres.
"First, expanding further our bilateral ties and close partnership
relations in all fields. Second, what is most important for us, more
active involvement and a fair approach on the part of the USA in the
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy
Karabakh," Mammadov said.
The official said that Clinton's visit to Azerbaijan had been focused
on bilateral relations and on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. He said that the US state secretary voiced Washington's
satisfaction with cooperation in the energy field, in the fight
against terrorism, and with Azerbaijan's support to the USA in
Afghanistan.
"The general spirit of the talks was that the USA supports all
processes related to Azerbaijan's domestic and foreign policies and
welcomes its development," Mammadov said.
The official said that the Iranian issue had not been discussed during
the Clinton visit.
"On issues related to Iran, Azerbaijan has always taken a position,
that is a fair position, conforming to Iran's position," Mammadov
said, adding that Baku backed a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear
programme through negotiations.
He also said that Clinton's meeting with Azerbaijani NGOs in Baku
pointed to positive progress in the development of civil society in
the country.
The official said that Baku was concerned about European countries'
"biased" approach to Azerbaijan in response to close cooperation with
them. The European Union should follow the US example in its
relationship with Azerbaijan, Mammadov said.
He said that no discussions had been held during Clinton's visit about
the rights of journalists in Azerbaijan. But Mammadov said that the
USA had welcomed the Azerbaijani government's treatment of the case of
Radio Liberty journalist Xadica Ismayilova.
Mammadov said that at the very end of the talks there had been a
"funny episode" concerning the case of "so-called journalist" Idrak
Abbasov. He said that the vice-president of the State Oil Company had
provided explanation on the matter and that the journalist had
attempted to politicize the demolition of illegally-built houses.
[translated from Azeri]
June 12 2012
Azeri official says US state secretary's visit "historic"
A senior Azerbaijani official has described the 6 June visit to Baku
by US State Secretary Hillary Clinton as "historic".
Speaking on private ANS TV's "Ahata Dairasi" ("Sphere of Influence")
programme on 10 June, the director of the foreign policy department at
the Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov, said that Azerbaijan
expected the visit to yield results in two main spheres.
"First, expanding further our bilateral ties and close partnership
relations in all fields. Second, what is most important for us, more
active involvement and a fair approach on the part of the USA in the
settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy
Karabakh," Mammadov said.
The official said that Clinton's visit to Azerbaijan had been focused
on bilateral relations and on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. He said that the US state secretary voiced Washington's
satisfaction with cooperation in the energy field, in the fight
against terrorism, and with Azerbaijan's support to the USA in
Afghanistan.
"The general spirit of the talks was that the USA supports all
processes related to Azerbaijan's domestic and foreign policies and
welcomes its development," Mammadov said.
The official said that the Iranian issue had not been discussed during
the Clinton visit.
"On issues related to Iran, Azerbaijan has always taken a position,
that is a fair position, conforming to Iran's position," Mammadov
said, adding that Baku backed a peaceful solution to Iran's nuclear
programme through negotiations.
He also said that Clinton's meeting with Azerbaijani NGOs in Baku
pointed to positive progress in the development of civil society in
the country.
The official said that Baku was concerned about European countries'
"biased" approach to Azerbaijan in response to close cooperation with
them. The European Union should follow the US example in its
relationship with Azerbaijan, Mammadov said.
He said that no discussions had been held during Clinton's visit about
the rights of journalists in Azerbaijan. But Mammadov said that the
USA had welcomed the Azerbaijani government's treatment of the case of
Radio Liberty journalist Xadica Ismayilova.
Mammadov said that at the very end of the talks there had been a
"funny episode" concerning the case of "so-called journalist" Idrak
Abbasov. He said that the vice-president of the State Oil Company had
provided explanation on the matter and that the journalist had
attempted to politicize the demolition of illegally-built houses.
[translated from Azeri]