Azernews.Az

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S.-Azerbaijan defense and security relations have been stable for many years, but political ties should be raised to a high level as well, former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has said.
Armitage, who chairs the American Turkish Council (ATC), was commenting on US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to Baku in an interview with Voice of America radio station.
"It had been a really long time we hadn’t delegated the US Secretary of State to Baku. As Deputy Secretary of State I paid a visit there, met with Mr. Aliyev, whose father I used to know well.
"There was some coolness in relations, but now it’s been left behind, in my opinion, and I hope that Mr. Aliyev will meet with Mr. Obama in the future, and everything will fall into place," Armitage said.
He said, further, that some work remains to be done in Azerbaijan on human rights.
"A number of issues could be cited here. The well-known case of the bloggers, for example. As someone who has been following Azerbaijan for quite some time, I would like to say that the Azerbaijani people have covered a long road after gaining independence, but challenges remain here with human rights related issues, judging by European criteria."
Armitage noted that Azerbaijan is flush with oil but pointed to the problems involved.
"It is easy to say that Azerbaijan has oil, it is a wealthy country and that its economy will develop. From the history of numerous oil-rich nations we can see that they are not handling their oil revenues properly. I would like to see President Aliyev to have a chance here, because I think he is trying to do something other countries have been unable to do -- which is equal distribution of wealth among Azerbaijani citizens."
Armitage supported US President Barack Obama’s nominating senior State Department official Matthew Bryza for the post of US ambassador to Azerbaijan, which has remained vacant for a year.
"He knows the region well, at least he won’t need to learn anything, and he will begin work as soon as he gets there."
Armitage said certain political challenges have emerged with the White House nomination.
"Considering Bryza’s service record, questions have been raised in Armenia about whether or not he will be fair, while some are asking a question about his close relationship with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. But, one way or the other, whoever the president has chosen, that’s who it should be. I believe that if he is approved, this will be beneficial both for the United States and Baku."
Bryza is the former US negotiator in the team of OSCE diplomats brokering settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh.*