Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2005

Powell states support for Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, in a reciprocal letter to
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, stated US support for
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
`The United States supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
believes the Upper Garabagh conflict must be fully resolved through
peace talks being held by the two sides, considering their
positions.’
Powell expressed his gratitude for the letter sent by Azerbaijan,
which lays out the country’s initiative to discuss the situation in
the occupied Azeri land at the UN General Assembly. Powell said
Washington remains committed to a peace conflict resolution and
welcomed the talks between Azeri and Armenian foreign ministers in
the Prague format and those held by the two countries’ Presidents in
Warsaw and Astana.
With regard to the draft resolution submitted by Baku to the UN
General Assembly, Powell said the OSCE Minsk Group, while keeping the
talks in the same format, will outline actual ways of eliminating the
concerns indicated by Azerbaijan.
Powell also said he was satisfied with the fact that the fact-finding
mission to visit occupied Azerbaijani territories will include
experts and is looking forward to getting the results.*