Azeri, Armenian presidents hold long-lasting meeting in Astana

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2004

Baku, September 15, AssA-Irada

On Wednesday, President Ilham Aliyev met with his Armenian counterpart
Robert Kocharian in Astana, Kazakhstan within the summit of the
CIS heads of state. The meeting was initiated by Russian President
Vladimir Putin.

The two hour-long meeting was held with participation of the OSCE Minsk
Group (MG) co-chairs and proceeded behind the closed doors. The MG
co-chairs told journalists that the two countries’ presidents came
out with some ideas on the settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict.

Agreement on holding a meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents was reached at the Yalta summit of the CIS countries held
in May.

The same day, President Aliyev met with CIS Executive Secretary
Vladimir Rushaylo.

Pointing to Azerbaijan’s active participation in the CIS top meetings,
Rushaylo updated President Aliyev on the issues to be discussed at
the meeting of the CIS council of foreign ministers and heads of
government as well as on preparations for the summit of the CIS heads
of state to open on Thursday.*