PM MEETS WITH NEW US AMBASSADOR

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
July 4 2006

Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Artur Rasizade July 4 met with newly
appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the United
State of America in Baku Mrs. Anne Derse.

The Ambassador said America attaches importance to development of
relations with Azerbaijan and the country’s role in the regional and
global politics. She described the recent visit of the Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev to the United States as successful noting it
has opened a new page in history of bilateral relationship. Mrs.

Derse pointed out that her activities as the US Ambassador will
mainly focus on the issues concerning the fight against terrorism,
ensuring global energy security and support in Azerbaijan’s joining
the World Trade Organization.

Prime Minister Rasizade congratulated Mrs. Anne Derse on the
Independence Day and wished success in her new office. He informed
the Ambassador in detail on the situation over the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict pointing out the double standard approach of
the international community to this problem. The Premier reaffirmed
Azerbaijan’s commitment to peaceful resolution of the conflict, and
urged the USA to intensify its efforts for the problem to be solved
on the basis of internationally recognized legal norms and principles.