VICE PRESIDENT OF THE US SUPPORTED PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IN EXCHANGE FOR TRANSIT OF ENERGY CARRIERS IN BAKU

Azerbaijan Business Center
Sept 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The first visit of the US Vice President
to Azerbaijan could not help the country to rise in the rating of
America’s partners: everyone remained at the same positions, and the
major Washington’s partner is still Tbilisi.

Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney noted that the visit
was planned several months ago, but the talks are held when Russia
invaded Georgia.

"That action was unambiguously blamed by the international
community. From that point of view, President Bush and I would like to
say to Azerbaijani people and the whole world that we are interested in
establishment of peace and stability in that region. Today we are again
confirming our liability and adherence to further strengthening of the
relations between our countries. America supports the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. We are supporting the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on your country’s
principle of territorial integrity and all other international and
legal norms. Today the regulation of the conflict is important as
never before as the peace and stability in the region as well as
Azerbaijan’s security depends on this," Dick Cheney said.

Then he underlined the Azerbaijan’s adherence to cooperation with
Western countries in energy sphere that is highly appreciated by
America.

"The US alongside with other European countries, including Turkey,
strongly believes that to provide free carriage of natural resources
and creation of additional export routes, the joint work with
Azerbaijan, Caucasus and Central Asia must be done. Recently energy
security gains more importance," Dick Cheney said.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that at present the countries are working
on the further partnership development in the area of energy and
power-supply diversification.

"We have politic relations developing successfully and efficient
economic relations. The ties in the sphere of security, defense, our
cooperation in international peacemaking operations and, undoubtedly,
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict mean a lot to us. The
regulation of that conflict has to base on international and legal
norms provided that Azerbaijan’s and all countries’ territorial
integrity should be respected. I am sure that the efficient partnership
between Azerbaijan and the US and other countries of the region will
lead to more successes, further strengthening of security, peace,
stability and prosperity," I.Aliyev said.

As a whole, the yesterday’s visit confirmed the forecast made by The
Times: in Azerbaijan Dick Cheney saved the system of alternatives
pipelines to Russian ones, the architect of which he is, but the
investors’ trust in their reliability reeled after the events in
Georgia and explosion on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in Turkey
took place.