Azerbaijani Diaspora Seeks Changes in US State Department’s Report

United States, Washington / Тrend corr A. Gara / The president of the American-Azerbaijani Society (AAS) in the United States, Tomris Azeri, informed Trend that the organization seeks changes in the report of the State Department of the United States, which does not correspond to the truth and questions Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

In 2005, the part of the report regarding Azerbaijan mentioned the occupation of 16% of the Azerbaijani territory by the Armenian armed forces, while the section regarding Armenia did not include any data in this connection.

The Azerbaijani section of the report based upon the results of 2006 states that the Armenian Armed Forces seized Nagorno-Karabakh and nearby regions under its control. And Armenian, on the other hand, mentions the occupation of Karabakh's neighbouring regions by Armenia; however omits the occupation of Karabakh itself. Baku violently criticized the changes in the report and cancelled the visit of the Azerbaijani governmental delegation to Washington.

The representatives of the Azerbaijani Diaspora applied to the UN Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, with a request to alter the report. The president of the AAS voiced her confidence that the changes in the earlier published report were made under the influence of the Armenian lobby.

"The Armenians have close links with the legislative and governmental bodies. Azerbaijani Diaspora is too weak and does not have enough financial opportunities. There are plenty congressmen ready to support us, however we cannot offer them any assistance," Ms. Azeri stressed.

The activities of the AAS, which has been operating in America for over 50 years, are aimed at directing efforts to restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the rights of its refugees.

"Unfortunately, most Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations operating in the United States do not have any definite plan of activities," Ms. Azeri noted.