US State Department spox evades question on discrimination against Azerbaijan

The administration of US President Joseph Biden announced earlier that it will prepare a national strategy to combat Islamophobia for the first time in the country's history.

The White House said in a statement that the administration is working with community leaders, human rights advocates and members of Congress to develop a strategy to combat Islamophobia and hate in all its forms.

While the first US national strategy to combat Islamophobia is an innovation that has been welcomed amid growing hatred against Muslims around the world in recent years, some experts agree that growing Islamophobic tendencies in the United States are influencing the country's foreign policy decisions.

In this context, the double standards of the United States in terms of providing humanitarian aid to those affected by the former conflict in Armenia and Azerbaijan can be cited as an example.

The American bureau of Azerbaijan's Report news agency asked US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller about the country's first national strategy to combat Islamophobia. Noting Azerbaijan's discrimination in the context of humanitarian aid, which is not observed in Armenia, as a sign of Islamophobia, the employee of the news agency asked the State Department Spokesman for relevant clarifications. Besides, it was also asked whether the adopted strategy of combating Islamophobia will influence the US foreign policy.

According to Miller, the US is "courageously fighting" hatred against Muslims everywhere.

"Hatred, discrimination and violence against Muslims offends not only Muslims. Because it is often closely linked to perceptions and incorrect assumptions between Muslims, terrorism, xenophobia, and racism," the State Department said in a statement in response.

Regarding double standards in terms of humanitarian assistance to refugees and IDPs in Armenia and Azerbaijan, the spokesperson noted that the United States is and will continue to be a world leader in international humanitarian efforts, including refugee resettlement: "We will continue to provide the world's most vulnerable people with shelter and safe access to humanitarian assistance programs without discrimination."

It is obvious that the question posed was not answered in substance, without touching on specific points. At the same time, the representative of the US State Department asked to contact the White House press service regarding the mentioned questions.

The Report will also shortly publish the position of the White House on the above-mentioned subject.