President Aliyev starts working visit to France
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 8 2004
Baku, September 7, AssA-Irada
President Ilham Aliyev left for France on September 7.
Aliyev met with his French counterpart Jacques Chirac on Tuesday
evening to discuss issues pertaining to the Upper Garabagh conflict
settlement, Azerbaijan’s integration with the European Union,
bilateral economic cooperation and investments by French companies
in the country, the French Embassy in Baku said.
Following the talks, President Aliyev met with the director of French
International Relations Institute.
On September 8, the President is expected to hold a private meeting
with the French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. He will also
meet with the chairman of French Senate and attend an exhibition of
Azerbaijani artists at the Senate Museum.
On September 9, a ceremony on presenting the goodwill ambassador
title to the President’s wife Mehriban Aliyeva will be held at the
UNESCO residence in Paris.
Commenting on President Aliyev’s visit, prominent political scholar
Rasim Musabayov said that before the forthcoming talks in Astana, the
President may clarify certain details in his meeting with President
Chirac.
“Presidents Chirac and Putin of Russia have leverage to influence
the Armenian leadership. The use of the French President’s political
potential may appear productive to President Aliyev, although such
meetings did not yield any results in the past”, Musabayov said.*