Bridget Brink. Foto: Turan
Baku/07.02.18/Turan: The US call on Azerbaijan to hold free and fair elections in accordance with its Constitution and international obligations, said today Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Bridget Brink at a press conference in Baku.
Responding to request to comment on the appointment in Azerbaijan on April 11 of the extraordinary presidential elections.
"Our recommendations to the government of Azerbaijan are that the elections should be free and fair", - she noted.
The US always supports democratic processes, equal opportunities for free campaigns, free meetings, free expression of people's opinions, and the free media environment, she added.
At the same time, the diplomat did not comment on the details of discussions of her talks with Aliyev on democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
The US long-standing position is that human rights, fundamental freedoms and values should be respected. "Human rights are a very important part of our bilateral relations, along with security, energy and other issues", - she said.
"We believe that respect for human rights, fighting corruption, the rule of law and a favorable business climate in Azerbaijan are important for overall development and stability".
She reiterated the opinion of President Trump in the National Security Strategy, where he noted that the United States maintains the closest ties with countries that share common values and interests.
"I think that both sides share these goals", - Brink said.
She also noted that she had discussed with the representatives of the Azerbaijani government the about the "Radio Azadlig".
At the same time, she refrained from answering the question what influence the closing of the Baku bureau "Radio Azadlig" had on the media environment in Azerbaijan, noting that she discussed the issue with Azerbaijan authorities, but she is not an expert who can give a correct assessment. However, in general, the US advocates freedom of the media.
"I believe that having multiple opinion is important to allowing for democracy any public to assess the credibility and validity of news and information. So we support that worldwide free media as important part of democracy,"- Brink noted.
She avoided answering the question about the attitude to the US towards nominating Ilham Aliyev as the presidential candidate for the fourth time.
According to her, in diplomacy it is not customary to talk about an event that has not yet take place.
Answering the question about the purpose of the visit to Azerbaijan, the diplomat said that one of the goals is to hold discussions with the US ambassadors in the region.
At the same time, fruitful meetings were held with the President, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, the leader of the opposition party and representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce. One of the topics of the discussions was the issues of safety and, in this context, she noted Azerbaijan's contribution to the fight against terrorism and support for the operation in Afghanistan. In addition, she expressed support to the US for deepening trade relations with Azerbaijan and making the country through the Silk Road an important regional transport hub.-03C06-
Politics
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On Wednesday, President Ilham Aliyev met with Kerry McCarthy, the UK Minister for International Energy and Climate. During the meeting, they discussed preparations for the upcoming climate conference COP29. According to the embassy's statement, the minister offered the UK's support for hosting COP29. The parties also discussed the importance of the transition to clean energy.
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On October 9, President Ilham Aliyev met with Amina Mohammed, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, to discuss preparations for COP29. During the meeting, Mohammed stated that the main theme of the upcoming conference would be financial issues. She expressed hope that the international community would establish new financial goals. In turn, Aliyev highlighted the cooperation with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other organizations in the preparation process for the conference. He emphasized that Baku is making efforts to achieve consensus at COP29.
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Despite his serious condition, Afghan Sadygov, the head of the “Azel TV” website arrested in Georgia, continues his hunger strike in the prison hospital and refuses medical assistance, his wife reported to Turan. According to her, Afghan called her on Wednesday from the medical center of the Georgian penitentiary service. "He is in serious condition, under medical supervision, but refuses all medical help. Afghan said he is only taking drinking water. He stated that he will continue to fight for his rights and freedom, even if he dies," his wife said.
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On October 9, President Ilham Aliyev received John Podesta, the US Presidential Advisor on International Climate Policy. Podesta reported that he had productive negotiations with Azerbaijani colleagues regarding COP29 and was pleased to exchange views on the matter with the President of Azerbaijan.
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