He said that this arises doubts about not only the objectivity and impartiality of the United States as a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group established to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but should also be regarded as activity against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

At a time when the US applies sanctions against other separatist regimes, the invitation of representatives of the illegal regime created as a result of the occupation of the Azerbaijani lands to the United States is a clear example of double standards, according to Safikhanli.

Safikhanli believes that such prejudiced steps by the US can lead not only to the weakening of the international authority of this state, but also to the loss of such a strategic partner as Azerbaijan cooperating with them in the spheres of security, energy and economy.

Earlier, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and received a note of protest, sent by the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan to the US State Department.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the US, Elin Suleymanov, after a meeting in the State Department, presented the protest of Azerbaijan to the American side.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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