John Podesta, US President's Special Adviser on international climate policy, who is in Azerbaijan ahead of the COP-29 conference, commented on official Baku statements that the letter of 60 American congressmen about the need to impose anti-Azerbaijani sanctions was prepared at the State Department.
Podesta emphasized that the strength of American democracy is the separation of powers. "The President and the executive branch do not control Congress. Everyone says what they think," the Advisor to the US president stressed.
According to Podesta, the congressmen's letter reflects their concern regarding human rights in Azerbaijan. He informed that "Secretary of State Blinken regularly addresses this topic in his contacts with the President and Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan."
Podesta added that the Azerbaijani side promised to fulfill "obligations undertaken in the framework of the OSCE regarding human rights and freedom of the press".