Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani pro-government lawmakers have criticized US Vice President Joe Biden`s recent statement in Romania that called on Eastern Europe to aid several former Soviet republics on their path to democratic rule.
Addressing political leaders and students at Bucharest University last week, Biden mentioned the past revolutions that toppled communism in the former Soviet satellites. He praised Eastern Europe for the achievements made in the past two decades since the Iron Curtain fell, calling on Romania and its neighbors to help countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus to boost democratic development.
MP Siyavush Novruzov, deputy executive secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), speaking at a Milli Majlis (parliament) session on Tuesday, blamed world countries for a double standard approach to the developments ongoing in the region. He said it was unacceptable for an official of a superpower to draw parallels between Armenia, which occupies part of Azerbaijan`s territory, and the latter, which has been subjected to an aggression.
According to Novruzov, the U.S., as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group brokering settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict, should say its piece to the invading nation.
``The United States` allocating financial aid to Armenia and its endless endeavoring to achieve opening of the Turkey-Armenia border is unfair,`` he said.
Novruzov noted that the people are the Azerbaijani authorities` stronghold, saying government has always formed in the country through free and fair elections.
``This being said, everyone should attend to internal problems in their own countries and forget once and for all playing the role of a military police regime in other [countries`] territories. We witnessed what shape the countries where `color` revolutions were staged ended up in.``
Novruzov said the Azerbaijani parliament should send an appeal to US Congress and the US embassy in Baku over such irresponsible statements.
Zahid Oruj, deputy chairman of Ana Vatan party, recalled that such statements have been made in the past. He further called on Washington to heed attention to the Garabagh problem. ``If the U.S. is supporting democracy-building in Azerbaijan, it would be good to start with Garabagh. The reality of occupation is dealing a blow to democratic development in the country,`` said Oruj.
He added that comparing Azerbaijan with Belarus and Armenia means ``belittling Azerbaijan.``

Warning
Vice President Biden has said developments in the South Caucasus region indicate that people in the region are beginning to understand their self-interest lies in greater cooperation.
Biden told Radio Liberty that this normalization is both a necessity and an opportunity.
``You saw what`s happened between Turkey and Armenia, you see what`s happening now in other long and festering disputes… This cooperation is not out of love and affection, but out of necessity and opportunity.``
Biden said Europe has now become active and begun playing a constructive role in delivering the South Caucasus region`s abundant resources to European markets.
``This will be a challenging period. But, in my opinion, there are more opportunities than threats. We are working with our friends in Turkey, Europe and the Caucasus states that are dealing with a real transition here. Everyone realizes potential implications of the lack of progress in the South Caucasus.``