AZERBAIJAN AND US RESTORE SECURITY TALKS

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 16 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend A.Ismayilova / Jonathan Henick, Head
of the Public Relationships Department at the US Embassy in Baku,
has reported that the next round of the Azerbaijani-US security
consultations will be held in Washington on 9-10 July.

He noted that the format of talks remained as previously. Araz Aizmov,
the Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister, and officials from relevant
ministries will represent Azerbaijan in the talks.

The Azerbaijan-US security consultations, originally scheduled for
23-25 April, were delayed by the Azerbaijan government. Baku protested
to changes made by the US Department of State on 20 April to its
Human Rights Practices Report issued on 6 March, which indicated
the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 districts attached to it
by Armenia.

In this respect Baku postponed the visit to Washington for security
consultations, of the government delegation headed by Deputy foreign
minister, Araz Asimov. However, on 25 April the US Department of
State restored the report to its original version.