Azerbaijan suspects American diplomats of spying?

PanARMENIAN.Net - Recent media reports alleging that two U.S. Senate staffers visited Azerbaijan for intelligence purposes are absurd, U.S. embassy in Azerbaijan stated, according to ANS PRESS.

"As we said last week, congressional staff delegations routinely visit Azerbaijan to meet with embassy staff, Azerbaijani officials, and civil society representatives. They do so to better inform our government’s legislative efforts regarding Azerbaijan and the rest of the region," the statement said.

Frequent visits of American congressmen and politicians to Baku are meant to promote the U.S. agenda of gaining control over the Caspian region’s energy resources.

After presidential elections in Azerbaijan, dubbed “the worst idea of 2013” by the U.S. media, ex-envoy Matthew Bryza stated, “Cooperation between the U.S. and Azerbaijan is based on three principles: democracy, energy and security. And the United States will never sacrifice democracy to the energy interests. Democracy and human rights issues are our values. We value them and wish that our partners respected those views too. And we have never sacrificed and will never sacrifice democracy to oil and energy interests. All of these three directions are important for us, and we continue working with Azerbaijan on these issues.”