Expert: Introduction a bill to Congress to impose sanctions related to independent policy of Baku - COMMENT

Baku. 17 December. REPORT.AZ/ Azerbaijan resolutely pursuing its independent policy strictly corresponding to the internal interests of the country and outside its priorities, which are at odds with the interests of the United States.

Report informs, political scientist Tofig Abbasov said commenting on the introduction of the bill by the Helsinki Commission to the US Congress on imposition of restrictive sanctions against Azerbaijani officials in regard with the human rights situation in the country.

"In political circles of America, in the Senate and House of Representatives have a very strong Armenian lobby. Along with this, there is a purely anti-Azerbaijan-minded forces that want to just absorb all the Azerbaijani elite to play by American rules in the regional scenario, as well in the issues of internal order, so-called democratic reforms, standards and so on", said T.Abbasov.

According to him, Azerbaijan is pursuing independent domestic and foreign policy that annoys some political circles in the United States: "Azerbaijan is firmly holding its purely national policy that meets the internal interests of the country and outside its priorities that somewhere may be different and diverge from the interests of Americans. So the American political circles a few changed their position in regard to Azerbaijan, especially intensified after how Baku has taken a principled stand on the issue of the Eastern Partnership. It was expectable that, the European community will be displeased, but the American response to Baku's position was more irritable, more aggressive, but nothing is tragic there", said the expert.

He pointed out that Azerbaijan is related with the issue of energy security of Europe, moreover, the country is actively involved in infrastructure projects.

"Azerbaijan is actively involved in ensuring energy security of Europe, we have a very long-term plans related to Europe - TAP, TANAP. There is a railway line Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is promising to work based on the needs of world trade, cargo handling, intermodal transport. We have the potential, we are developing this potential, but it is not adequately perceived by the other side of the ocean", said the analyst.

T.Abbasov stressed that, Azerbaijan didn't part with the CIS market, and continues to cooperate with Russia, which has some leverage, including economic pressures, even under sanctions.

"Probably someone in the United States seemed that, it is necessary to put the question beyond Azerbaijan bluntly: either with us, or against us", the expert believes.

Speaking about the adoption of the bill, T.Abbasov expressed the opinion that it will not be accepted. "Even if it is accepted, it does not do honor to the United States, which is perceived in the world as the economy number one, and most influential", he said.

Talking about the claims against Azerbaijan on alleged human rights violations, the expert pointed out that, American politicians are trying to put pressure on Azerbaijan: "Using the false pretext of the suppression of the rights of journalists and human rights activists is traditional standard for American politicians to pressure on sovereign countries", he concluded.