Thank you to our distinguished colleague from Azerbaijan for raising his delegation’s concerns.
There are US companies that are currently providing goods and services in Nagorno Karabakh and in the neighboring territories. In some cases these are resellers of goods purchased elsewhere and resold in Nagorno Karabakh, in other cases goods and services are being directly provided in Nagorno Karabakh. Our embassy in Baku has emphasized to the government in Azerbaijan that it is not against U.S. law for American companies to operate in the territories.
However, I’d like to reassure our distinguished colleague from Azerbaijan that the language regarding conducting business in Azerbaijan on the State Department website and in the US country commercial guide for Azerbaijan has been revised in order to broaden awareness of Azerbaijani law. The latest US country commercial guide for Azerbaijan – which will be published soon – now contains language advising that American companies who do business in those territories risk facing civil and criminal penalties in Azerbaijan.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
As delivered by Ambassador Daniel B. Baer to the Permanent Council, Vienna
