USAID to allocate $7 million for support of democracy in Azerbaijan in 2008

In 2008, the American Agency for International Development (USAID) is going to allocate $18 million for the implementation of programs in Azerbaijan, including $7 million for the projects to support democracy.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that this has been announced in Baku by Ken Yamashito, deputy chief of the USAID office for Europe and Eurasia. According to him, the money will be allocated "for the election programs as well ". He never mentioned any specific programs.

Earlier, local USAID representatives announced that the organization is going to fund training programs for political parties and election committee members, as well as election monitoring programs for local NGOs. All in all, the US Government is going to allocate $3 million for the programs connected with the coming October 15 presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

Ramiz Mekhtiyev, chief of the Azeri president's administration, considers this as interference into "Azeri internal affairs ". In response, Jonathan Henik, representative of the US embassy stated that the US aid programs in Azerbaijan are implemented upon a mutual agreement of the parties and the American party renders assistance both to the state structures and to the public community.