Ex-Ambassador Bryza says U.S. needs to pay more attention to South Caucasus

U.S. ex-Ambassador to Baku Matthew Bryza said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that American leaders would sooner or later recognize strategic interests around Azerbaijan. He predicts that strategic thinkers would start paying the republic more attention and the situation would improve.

Concerning politicians commenting on the situation in Azerbaijan, Bryza stated that many of them were not even familiar with the developments in the republic. In his words, Obama’s call for protection of strategic interests in Saudi Arabia should have analogical urges for Azerbaijan.

According to the diplomat, the U.S. paid very little attention to the South Caucasus. In Bryza’s opinion, the situation can be rectified, starting with determination of American interests in the region. He does not see a leader in the region, thought Russia plays a significant role there.

Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Bryza believes that Washington should demonstrate more interests in the problem and guarantee Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan support, the way Russian President Medvedev did. He added that the presidents of Azerbaijan or Armenia should make the first step to show readiness for a compromise.

The ex-ambassador supposed that the Azerbaijani and Turkish diasporas could contribute to formation of an opinion about the conflict in the U.S. It would be even more effective together with concessions from Baku and Yerevan.

U.S. ex-Ambassador to Baku Matthew Bryza said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that American leaders would sooner or later recognize strategic interests around Azerbaijan. He predicts that strategic thinkers would start paying the republic more attention and the situation would improve.Concerning politicians commenting on the situation in Azerbaijan, Bryza stated that many of them were not even familiar with the developments in the republic. In his words, Obama’s call for protection of strategic interests in Saudi Arabia should have analogical urges for Azerbaijan.According to the diplomat, the U.S. paid very little attention to the South Caucasus. In Bryza’s opinion, the situation can be rectified, starting with determination of American interests in the region. He does not see a leader in the region, thought Russia plays a significant role there.Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Bryza believes that Washington should demonstrate more interests in the problem and guarantee Presidents Aliyev and Sargsyan support, the way Russian President Medvedev did. He added that the presidents of Azerbaijan or Armenia should make the first step to show readiness for a compromise.The ex-ambassador supposed that the Azerbaijani and Turkish diasporas could contribute to formation of an opinion about the conflict in the U.S. It would be even more effective together with concessions from Baku and Yerev