Barry Lowenkron, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, stated in his address to students of the Azerbaijan State Institute of Languages in Baku on December 19, 2006 that the energy project enabled Azerbaijan to receive new big profits, but the country can face with new challenges, Trend reports
He said that Azerbaijan lives in a difficult region and voices its will to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic area.
The U.S. official said that Azerbaijan needs more transparent democratic system and there is necessity for the development of 5 major fields, including the superiority of the law, political, processes, freedom of press, respect to human rights; existence of people with high education.
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State noted the necessity of conduct of training for judges, prosecutors, lawyers, as well as police employees. He called on the Azerbaijan Government to hold elections reforms to improve this system till the next elections. Mr. Lowenkron stressed the importance for establishment of legal frameworks for work with professional media and necessity for changing the responsibility for slander.
He stressed the U.S. support and interest for Azerbaijan to succeed in the establishment of modern, democratic and secular state.