US embassy says Azerbaijan spying claims “absurd”

The US embassy in Baku dismissed as “absurd” Azerbaijani media reports that two US Senate staffers visited Azerbaijan last week for intelligence purposes. 

“As we said last week, congressional staff delegations routinely visit Azerbaijan to meet with embassy staff, Azerbaijani officials and civil society representatives,” the embassy said on its website. “They do so to better inform our government’s legislative efforts regarding Azerbaijan and the rest of the region.”

Haqqin.az news website claimed that prominent investigative journalist Xadica Ismayilova provided the Senate staffers with a list of Azerbaijani opposition activists “working for the government” during a meeting in Baku. 

Ismayilova, who anchors a current affairs program on the Azerbaijani service of RFE/RL, denied the claim.

ANN.Az