UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOSTS SEMINAR ABOUT AZERBAIJAN

Baku, November 6 (AzerTAc). The University of Southern California hosted a seminar about Azerbaijan. Mr. Robert David English, Associate Professor of International Relations of the University of Southern California and Elin Suleymanov, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles made speeches at the seminar featuring Azerbaijan’s views on policy and security in the Caucasus region.
The discussions attended by academics and university students built on the role of the United States and Russia in Eurasia, regional energy projects outlook, the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenian-Turkish relations.
Professor Robert English underlined strategic importance of the Caspian region, as well as the discord among the analysts regarding the reasons for Turkey’s recently intensified foreign policy and possible consequences of Turkish-Armenian border opening. Elin Suleymanov stressed that unresolved Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh remains major threat to the regional security. The diplomat said that Azerbaijan has always pursued a policy of cooperation in the South Caucasus; however, regional cooperation is not possible without settlement of conflicts, respect for basic human rights such as the right to life and right of displaced persons to repatriation. Suleymanov said he was hopeful that the U.S. policy will be based on a comprehensive resolution of problems the region faces, and not on short-term symbolic steps.
Responding to questions from the audience, Suleymanov recalled that a stand of Azerbaijani leadership both in terms of energy security and foreign policy is based solely on national interests of Azerbaijan.