Rice threatens governments disregarding democracy
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said governments in the
Central Asia and South Caucasus regions trying to cast democracy in
the background will not fully succeed.
"These governments will not be able to withstand outside pressure for long by using petrodollars and other tools," she said while being hosted by Radio Liberty’s head office in Prague. "They will never fully integrate into the international community and a contemporary world with 18th century systems."
Rice said Washington continued working with civil society in the regional countries rich in oil and gas resources. Students from these countries are invited to the U.S. and bridges are being built between them and the American public.
The state secretary said that in the countries in question, change does not happen overnight and takes quite a long time at times.
Rice recalled that Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled Turkmenistan for 21 years, is no longer in power.
"We will keep up pressure from bottom to top and vice versa in countries pushing democracy in the background.
"You never know when change comes about. Therefore, such governments should be ready for the day the people gain freedom. Freedom will not be defeated, it may take time but it will never be in the background," Rice said.
Chairman of the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Ali Karimli termed the statement as a message to the world’s unfree nations. He claimed that Azerbaijani authorities should draw conclusions from it and not assume that they will be able to stay in power on account of oil revenues for good.
"It is possible that for some reasons the U.S. does not adequately react to undemocratic states, but they surely know what’s going on. If not today, they will say their piece tomorrow. This message also shows that the U.S. is not content with the lack of democracy and authoritarian leaders, and is expecting freedom to prevail in these countries and the people to rise to struggle for freedom."
The New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) deputy executive secretary Mubariz Gurbanly said Rice’s message mainly targeted Central Asian republics, while Azerbaijan was working hard to master democratic values.
"We are doing this not to appease the U.S., this is Azerbaijan’s choice. We are not saying that everything here is in line with European standards, but we are heading in that direction," Gurbanly said.*
"These governments will not be able to withstand outside pressure for long by using petrodollars and other tools," she said while being hosted by Radio Liberty’s head office in Prague. "They will never fully integrate into the international community and a contemporary world with 18th century systems."
Rice said Washington continued working with civil society in the regional countries rich in oil and gas resources. Students from these countries are invited to the U.S. and bridges are being built between them and the American public.
The state secretary said that in the countries in question, change does not happen overnight and takes quite a long time at times.
Rice recalled that Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled Turkmenistan for 21 years, is no longer in power.
"We will keep up pressure from bottom to top and vice versa in countries pushing democracy in the background.
"You never know when change comes about. Therefore, such governments should be ready for the day the people gain freedom. Freedom will not be defeated, it may take time but it will never be in the background," Rice said.
Chairman of the opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA) Ali Karimli termed the statement as a message to the world’s unfree nations. He claimed that Azerbaijani authorities should draw conclusions from it and not assume that they will be able to stay in power on account of oil revenues for good.
"It is possible that for some reasons the U.S. does not adequately react to undemocratic states, but they surely know what’s going on. If not today, they will say their piece tomorrow. This message also shows that the U.S. is not content with the lack of democracy and authoritarian leaders, and is expecting freedom to prevail in these countries and the people to rise to struggle for freedom."
The New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) deputy executive secretary Mubariz Gurbanly said Rice’s message mainly targeted Central Asian republics, while Azerbaijan was working hard to master democratic values.
"We are doing this not to appease the U.S., this is Azerbaijan’s choice. We are not saying that everything here is in line with European standards, but we are heading in that direction," Gurbanly said.*
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