ROBERT GATES PROMISES TO TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA HOW IMPORTANT NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION IS FOR AZERBAIJAN
APA
June 7 2010
Azerbaijan
Baku – APA. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is visiting Baku,
met with Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Colonel-General Safar Abiyev,
spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Lieutenant-Colonel Eldar Sabiroglu
told APA.
Following the solemn welcoming ceremony at the Defense Ministry,
the state anthems of both countries were played.
Safar Abiyev noted the brief history of Azerbaijan-US military
cooperation founded by Heydar Aliyev in 1997 and underlined that
Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the cooperation with the US.
Speaking about the joint contributions to the struggle against the
international terrorism and to other security processes, Minister
said the situation is complicated and tense in the South Caucasus
because of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. He
appreciated the role of the US as a co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group.
Safar Abiyev underlined that section 907 has negative influence on
the US-Azerbaijan relations.
Gates noted that President Barack Obama’s letter to President
Ilham Aliyev, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s upcoming visit
and his present visit to Baku are obvious examples of the strategic
partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States. Gates emphasized
that when he returns home he will tell President Obama how important
the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict is for Azerbaijan. The US
Defense Secretary mentioned a number of important issues and said he
would make best efforts towards abolition of Section 907.
Then Safar Abiyev expressed hopes that Azerbaijan and the United
States will establish real partnership relations and the Defense
Secretary’s visit to Azerbaijan will make new contribution to the
development of this partnership.
From: A. Papazian