US State Department supports ambassador who supports Free Thought University

The US State Department on Monday backed its Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar's recent speech on closing Free Thought University, calling on Ilham Aliyev goverment to respect its citizens' rights, TURAN's Washington DC correspondent reports.

"We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to uphold its international commitments and ensure its citizens universal freedom of assembly and expression without fear of arrest or detention... We did make those concerns clear from the Embassy, and I'm reiterating those here today as well," Patrick Ventrell, State Department's acting deputy spokesperson, said in a daily press briefing.

"Ambassador Morningstar made very clear our support for the organization and for civil society... As he said, respect for peaceful protests, independent and transparent courts, and government  engagement with citizens, especially young citizens, to address their legitimate concerns are the best and most effective ways democratic governments can ensure their fundamental stability," he emphasized.

While answering a second question on Azerbaijan -- on a suggestion by two Iranian parliamentarians to annul the 19th century treaties and annex Azerbaijan, Mr. Ventrell said, "this is a legislative tit-for-tat that has taken on both sides and has been done in the past". So the State Department doesn't have a  eaction "to the tit-for-tat". -25В-