ID :
178797
Fri, 04/29/2011 - 09:06
Auther :

US Congressman meets first vice speaker of Azerbaijan`s parliament

Baku, April 29 (AzerTAc). US Congressman, head of the US-Azerbaijan Friendship Group, Bill Shuster, has met first vice speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Ziyafat Asgarov.
Asgarov said the Azerbaijan-USA relations had reached the level of strategic partnership.
“We are closely cooperating within NATO. Azerbaijan is the most active participant in NATO events among the South Caucasus countries.”
Asgarov praised the role of parliaments in developing the bilateral relations.
He also highlighted Azerbaijan`s role in ensuring Europe`s energy security, adding his country enjoyed “a fruitful” cooperation with the United States in this area.
Asgarov touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
He said: “The UN Security Council, NATO, European Union, the Council of Europe, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and other influential international organizations unanimously recognized Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity, and adopted a number of resolutions demanding a just solution to the problem.”
Asgarov touched upon the OSCE Minsk Group`s mediation activity, expressing regret “their efforts have not yet yielded any result”.
“It is very strange but in case of Libya the UN Security Council`s resolution works immediately but when it comes to Azerbaijan we face double standards. The activity of the Minsk group, co-chaired by the United States, is a source of great regret and surprise. We believe that your visit will mark positive changes both in the US-Azerbaijan relations and in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem,” Asgarov noted.
Shuster said Azerbaijan was an important country for the United States.
“We thank Azerbaijan for its participation in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan, as well as its role in the energy security of Europe.”
On the Karabakh problem, the US congressman said his country was committed to peaceful solution to the conflict.
Shuster said the work concerning the Jackson-Vanik amendment was continued.
The congressman praised Azerbaijan`s development, saying it took the US 230 years to become what it is today, while Azerbaijan made tremendous successes just in 20 years.
He praised the fact poverty level decreased from 40% to 9% in Azerbaijan in the last five years.

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