Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 11 / Trend S.Agayeva /
The Azerbaijani government said all programs and activities implemented by the U.S. government in Nagorno-Karabakh should be coordinated with Baku.
"Azerbaijan believes the country should be informed about ongoing U.S. governmental programs and activities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region," Azerbaijani Ambassador to the U.S. Yashar Aliyev said. "They must be consistent with the Azerbaijani government."
The ambassador commented on information circulated in the media about that the U.S allocating financial assistance to the Nagorno-Karabakh in 2010. He said based on the bill on the program of activities in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the U.S. will allocate $8 million.
The diplomat noted a joint conference between the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives adopted a bill on U.S. 2010 budget Dec. 8.
The bill includes the budgets of several U.S. governmental agencies, including the state, transport, trade and justice departments.
According to the ambassador, the draft law stated that financial assistance to Azerbaijan, which was $22 million, was attributable to an article supporting Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia. In 2009, the financial assistance amounted to $18.5 million.
Regarding military cooperation, Aliyev said, Azerbaijan will receive $3 million under the foreign military financing program.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenian has not yet implemented the U.N. General Assembly's resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the occupied territories.
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