Azerbaijan Awaits Positive Results from Astana Summit

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 11 2004

Defense Minister, Colonel General Safar Abiyev received Russian
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolay Ryabov on completion of his diplomatic
mission in the country on Friday.

Assa-Irada — General Abiyev noted that the Azerbaijani people expect
the meeting to be held between Azerbaijani and Russian presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin within the Astana summit of CIS
countries to yield positive results and affect the settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

Unveiling his stance towards the issue, Ambassador Ryabov stressed that
it is necessary to intensify talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He
wished the Russian-Azerbaijan military cooperation to develop in the
name of the two countries’ national interests.