Associated Press
Aug 12 2004

U.S. defense chief thanks Azerbaijan president

BAKU, Azerbaijan – U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld thanked
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliev on Thursday for his country’s
support in the war on terrorism.

Rumsfeld spoke with Aliev on a trip to visit U.S. allies in the
region.

Defense Minister Gen. Col. Safar Abiyev assured Rumsfeld that
his country is committed to keeping 150 soldiers in Iraq.

Azerbaijan is the only predominately Muslim country that has
contributed troops to the multinational coalition assisting the
emerging forces of the Iraqi interim government.

Azerbaijan, which also has 22 troops in Afghanstian, is seeking
U.S. support in mondernizing its military and resolving a territorial
dispute with neighboring Armenia.

The United States, meanwhile, is appealing to Caspian Sea
countries like Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan as foils to Iran, which also
borders on the oil-rich sea.