Firstly, Bayramov highlighted, “In September 2023, Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty by conducting a 23-hour anti-terror operation on its own sovereign territory. Shortly after, we witnessed attacks from the United States that were incompatible with international law. There was a U.S. sanction document, the 1992 Freedom Support Act’s Section 907 amendment, which had been suspended for many years in relation to Azerbaijan. However, this time, the suspension did not occur, and for the first time in 20 years, Azerbaijan was effectively ‘punished’ for restoring its sovereignty.” For Azerbaijan, territorial integrity and state sovereignty, as Bayramov emphasized, are a “red line.”
Additionally, the minister reminded that the previous agreement with USAID had already expired, and a new agreement was not reached. Azerbaijan insists that if the U.S. intends to provide assistance in the country, it must do so officially and with complete transparency. This clear reference to “gray schemes” involving the funding of various opposition NGOs was unmistakable. It’s worth noting that Azerbaijan is currently investigating financial fraud schemes carried out through allegedly “oppositional” but, in reality, grant-funded media outlets such as Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Meydan TV. The correlation between the demand for transparent aid and the investigation into these corruption schemes is unlikely to be a coincidence.
What’s even more telling is that Bayramov’s statement coincided with the launch of a court case in Baku dubbed the “Azerbaijani Nuremberg,” where one of the key defendants is the infamous Ruben Vardanyan. The list of charges against him in Azerbaijan is extensive, including waging an aggressive war, violent seizure of power, financing terrorism, illegal arms trading, and more.
This Kremlin-connected oligarch was also the founder of the “Aurora Prize,” which warrants special attention. The prize’s name does not stem from the revolutionary cruiser or the northern lights but from Aurora (Arshaluys) Mardiganian, who “survived genocide,” traveled the world, settled in the U.S., and authored the book Ravished Armenia. The prize’s symbol is the “Armenian eternity sign,” also widely used in Armenia’s military symbolism. The award is ostensibly presented for humanitarian achievements “on behalf of those who survived the Armenian genocide.”
In 2018, the selection committee for this prize included Samantha Power, now the director of USAID. Her “creative biography” features the book A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide.
Perhaps before Ruben Vardanyan’s move to Karabakh, this situation could have been described as a “conflict of interest.” Even that, under written and unwritten U.S. laws, constitutes a serious barrier to public service. However, the outgoing Biden administration found nothing objectionable in Power’s background. Nor did it recognize the fact that Ruben Vardanyan is sanctioned in Ukraine, where he is accused of supporting Russian aggression.
Today, with the onset of the “Azerbaijani Nuremberg,” this is no longer just a “conflict of interest” but something far more serious. It is evident that, under its current leadership, USAID could not theoretically continue to operate freely in Azerbaijan. Simply put, the lawful interests and sovereignty of our country must be respected.
Nurani
Translated from minval.az
