Wintry weather delaying US response to Baku’s protest - diplomat
Inclement weather in Washington and the approaching
holiday in the United States are delaying the US government’s
response to the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry’s protest note over
Congress’ recent passage of a bill providing assistance to Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh. Therefore, the US State Department has not yet
responded to the appeal, says Khazar Ibrahim, the adviser for the
Azerbaijani embassy in the U.S.
"There has been very heavy snowfall here. Even the roads haven’t been cleared. We had hard time coming to work. We are the only embassy that’s working. Secondly, preparations are underway for Christmas," Ibrahim said.
The embassy adviser believes a reply to Azerbaijan’s note may be issued after the holiday break.
The Congress’ recent decision to allocate $8 million to the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic for 2010 sparked outcry in Azerbaijan. In its note handed over to State Department officials, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern", stressing that the country’s Upper Garabagh region and seven surrounding districts remain under Armenian occupation. The US government’s conducting any activities - without Baku’s consent - in the occupied Azerbaijani territories contradicts official US statements voicing support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, the note said. The Azerbaijani government warned that the move will have a negative impact on efforts to solve the Garabagh conflict and undermine the USA`s image of "a just and impartial mediator" as a co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group.
The State Department has vowed to respond to the note in the shortest time possible.*
"There has been very heavy snowfall here. Even the roads haven’t been cleared. We had hard time coming to work. We are the only embassy that’s working. Secondly, preparations are underway for Christmas," Ibrahim said.
The embassy adviser believes a reply to Azerbaijan’s note may be issued after the holiday break.
The Congress’ recent decision to allocate $8 million to the self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh republic for 2010 sparked outcry in Azerbaijan. In its note handed over to State Department officials, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry expressed "deep concern", stressing that the country’s Upper Garabagh region and seven surrounding districts remain under Armenian occupation. The US government’s conducting any activities - without Baku’s consent - in the occupied Azerbaijani territories contradicts official US statements voicing support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, the note said. The Azerbaijani government warned that the move will have a negative impact on efforts to solve the Garabagh conflict and undermine the USA`s image of "a just and impartial mediator" as a co-chair of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group.
The State Department has vowed to respond to the note in the shortest time possible.*
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