US State Department blocks sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan

US Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA), the top Democrat on the  House Foreign Affairs Committee, welcomed the Department of State’s decision denying the sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan, TURAN's Washington DC correspondent was confirmed by the Congressman's office. 

  "The Department of State had proposed adding Azerbaijan to the authorized sales territory for military equipment that would be used in helicopter-borne border surveillance and “police-type” activities. Berman expressed his concern that such equipment could be used to facilitate identification of Armenians and Armenian forces for attack", says the source. 

    Yesterday Berman's office received the modified formal notification that the Azerbaijan removed from the list of countries that would be eligible to purchase this equipment.

    On May 29, Berman wrote Secretary of State Clinton requesting that military equipment not be sold to Azerbaijan, saying "aside from the possible military application of this equipment against Armenia, such a sale would send entirely the wrong message to Azerbaijan, particularly in light of this horrifying incident.”

    “This decision by Secretary Clinton is in the best interests of the Armenian people and for peace in the region,” Berman stated yesterday.

    State Department didn't comment on the news, but TURAN was told by the diplomatic sources that "it's hard to believes Azerbaijan's name even was among the countries that the State Department proposed the authorized sales territory for military equipment".

    "The US has a long-standing policy -- extending over the past three Administrations -- not to introduce lethal equipment into the regional conflicts in the Caucasus and it's crystal clear that Washington does not sell weaponry to either Azerbaijan, or Armenia. It's impossible", said the source. -25В-