Armenia-Azerjaijan Update

Theodoric Meyer at Politico Influence:

FARA FRIDAY: A limited-liability company based in Baku, Azerbaijan, has hired Portland PR in support of the company’s work on behalf of the Azerbaijani government. The firm will provide the company with “US & international media engagement, media monitoring, digital recommendations, spokesperson training and preparation of documents/materials as requested,” according to a new Justice Department filing. Portland PR started working for the company on Oct. 19, according to the contract, weeks after fighting broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

— The conflict has drawn attention in Washington, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meeting separately last week with the Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. A resolution introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) earlier this month condemning Azerbaijan and Turkey’s role in the conflict, meanwhile, has drawn 88 co-sponsors.

— The Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America have pressured Turkey and Azerbaijan’s Washington lobbyists and consultants to stop working for the countries, and they won a victory last week when Mercury said it would stop representing the Turkish government. Turkey still retains Greenberg Traurig and Capitol Counsel, while Azerbaijan’s government is represented by BGR Group. Investment Corporation, the Azerbaijani company that hired Portland PR, also brought on the S-3 Group earlier this month for help with social media. Portland PR’s three-month contract is worth $30,000 a month.