In an interview to “Radio Liberty,” U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried said that he hopes that the government of Azerbaijan will take steps not to distance itself from freedoms
but rather to expand freedoms. “A strong government never fears a free press, on the contrary it applauds it,” said Fried. He emphasized that strong states are justified by strong civil society institutions, including a free press.