Azernews.Az

A top US State Department official said Monday that the 2008 presidential elections will be the best in Azerbaijan's history.

"The stronger the election is, the stronger the country's mandate in the world community will be," US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried told a news conference in Baku.
He said the U.S. would like for Baku to pursue democratic reforms not only because Washington deems it important, but also because it would benefit the country itself.
Fried said his country was looking to see Azerbaijan as a powerful, independent and prosperous nation vigorously implementing democratic reforms. "A week Azerbaijan can do nothing for the United States. Only a strong one meets our interests."
Fried stressed that a powerful state requires both a strong government and a strong opposition, along with independent media and banking system.
"Independent and democratic reforms are factors underpinning stability. The U.S. will be helping Azerbaijan to pursue reform and bolster independence," he said.
The assistant secretary said he had broad discussions with President Ilham Aliyev on ways of putting diplomatic and economic pressure on Iran in a bid to alter its political course.
Western countries suspect Iran of seeking nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian atomic program, which Iran denies, saying it wants only to generate electricity.
"We are seeking a solution not through military action but diplomacy," the US official said. "We are taking action adequate to the development of Iran's nuclear program."
Fried added that energy security was also on the agenda of his meeting with President Aliyev.