Azernews.Az

YEREVAN – The leader of the self-proclaimed republic run by ethnic Armenians in the Azerbaijani region of Nagorno Karabakh has conducted a fundraiser in the United States in a bid to regain his falling clout ahead of the so-called presidential elections.

Bako Saakian has raised $21 million in the regular twelve-hour TV marathon held in Los Angeles, Armenian media reported.

Saakian, who is seeking to beat Arayk Arutyunyan, his rival who acts as "prime minister" of the separatist regime, at the "elections", has even rallied the backing of Archbishop Pargav Martirosyan.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani government protested at the separatist leader’s visit to Los Angeles and his meeting with the city’s Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Presidential Administration official Novruz Mammadov said the mayor’s hosting the self-proclaimed republic’s "president" is not in line "with the spirit of relations between Azerbaijan and the United States".

Nagorno Karabakh is an Azerbaijani region occupied by Armenia since a 1994 cease-fire ended a war that killed an estimated 30,000 people and ousted about one million Azerbaijanis from their homes. Years of peace talks have brought few tangible results.