Azernews.Az

The US embassy in Baku has rebuffed the media reports about a recent controversial statement allegedly made by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Tina Kaidanow.
Kaidanow has reportedly said in an interview that should Azerbaijan move to free its territories under Armenian occupation through military action, the United States will recognize Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an occupied Azerbaijani region.
Terry Davidson, the spokesman for the US embassy, labeled the media reports as concocted.
"Mrs. Kaidanow did not express any views to that end. She spoke about support for a peaceful settlement to the Upper Garabagh conflict in an interview with ANS TV, and her remarks were distorted in the media," Davidson said.
Elkhan Polukhov, the spokesman for the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry, has said reports not based on facts cannot damage relations between Baku and Washington, and the news reports that have circulated in the past few days are rumors.
"These reports are absolutely unfounded, because the Azerbaijani side has not officially received such appeals or queries from the State Department," Polukhov said. "Azerbaijan-US relations are still developing in a positive direction. No one can dictate anything to us. We are taking steps stemming from our national interests."*