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Daniel Fried: â€œAzerbaijan is emerging as one of Europeâ€™s critical, near-term alternative sources of natural gasâ€

19 June 2008 09:13 (UTC +04:00)

This cooperation has proceeded in parallel with advances in Azerbaijanâ€™s relations with NATOâ€, said Daniel Fried Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs during a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee â€œThe Caucasus: Frozen Conflicts and Closed Bordersâ€, APA reports. â€œIn the area of energy, Azerbaijan is emerging as one of Europeâ€™s critical, near-term alternative sources of natural gas. Azerbaijani gas can open the way for a new network of pipelines that will help the market, rather than a monopoly, determine the price and availability of a critical commodity. The government has stated its intention to avoid what some call â€œthe energy trapâ€ and its State Oil Fund has helped it tackle the macroeconomic challenge of managing windfall energy revenues. The Azerbaijani government has taken the first steps to improve the business environment by implementing a â€œone-stop shopâ€ for registration of new businesses. Its challenge now is to manage the enormous influx of energy wealth without distorting or corrupting the economy and political systemâ€, said Fried. Speaking about the democratic reforms in the country he said: â€œDemocracy has been part of Azerbaijanâ€™s tradition. In its brief period of independence after the Russian Revolution, Azerbaijan established a democratic constitution, and Azerbaijan has an opportunity to build on that proud tradition as its next Presidential election approaches this October. We hope that Azerbaijan will use the presidential election in October â€“ not only election day and the vote count but also, importantly, the conduct of the campaign â€“ to demonstrate substantial democratic progressâ€.