US affirms stance on Garabagh after approval of aid to separatist regime
The United States does not recognize a government called "the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh republic", the spokesman for the US embassy has
said, following approval by the US Congress of assistance worth $8
million to the self-proclaimed republic for 2010, which has sparked
concerns in Azerbaijan.
"This is our policy, and this policy remains unchanged," Terry Davidson said.
According to him, US assistance is being provided not to the government, but the people. "This is plain humanitarian aid and it is slated for projects like mine clearance. Such projects are being implemented by NGOs."
Davidson said that, at the same time, the U.S. is rendering assistance to the displaced persons in Azerbaijan, referring to the people driven out of their homes during the armed conflict with Armenia in the early 1990s.
"We would like to reiterate that we have supported large-scale mine clearance projects in recent years, built schools for the displaced population and worked to improve their living standards through a variety of comprehensive projects."
US legislators have approved the allocation of financial aid to the separatist regime, though the aid package offered by the Obama administration in May did not include assistance to the self-proclaimed republic. Moreover, Congressmen increased the aid package for Armenia to $41 million, while desginating $22 million for Azerbaijan.
Upper Garabagh is an Azerbaijani region occupied by Armenia since a 1994 cease-fire ended separatist hostilities that killed an estimated 30,000 people and ousted about one million Azerbaijanis from their homes. Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Years of peace talks have brought few tangible results.*
"This is our policy, and this policy remains unchanged," Terry Davidson said.
According to him, US assistance is being provided not to the government, but the people. "This is plain humanitarian aid and it is slated for projects like mine clearance. Such projects are being implemented by NGOs."
Davidson said that, at the same time, the U.S. is rendering assistance to the displaced persons in Azerbaijan, referring to the people driven out of their homes during the armed conflict with Armenia in the early 1990s.
"We would like to reiterate that we have supported large-scale mine clearance projects in recent years, built schools for the displaced population and worked to improve their living standards through a variety of comprehensive projects."
US legislators have approved the allocation of financial aid to the separatist regime, though the aid package offered by the Obama administration in May did not include assistance to the self-proclaimed republic. Moreover, Congressmen increased the aid package for Armenia to $41 million, while desginating $22 million for Azerbaijan.
Upper Garabagh is an Azerbaijani region occupied by Armenia since a 1994 cease-fire ended separatist hostilities that killed an estimated 30,000 people and ousted about one million Azerbaijanis from their homes. Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Years of peace talks have brought few tangible results.*