VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY AND PRESIDENT ALIYEV OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN AFTER MEETING

CQ Transcriptions
September 3, 2008 Wednesday

SPEAKER: VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY

LOCATION: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN

(CORRECTED COPY: CORRECTS "OPERATIONS AROUND THE WORLD")

VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY DELIVERS REMARKS WITH PRESIDENT ALIYEV OF THE
REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN AFTER MEETING, BAKU, AZERBAIJAN, AS RELEASED
BY THE WHITE HOUSE

SEPTEMBER 3, 2008

SPEAKERS: VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV

ALIYEV: Dear Mr. Vice President, I’m very glad to see you again,
and welcome to Azerbaijan. We pay very big importance to your visit,
and today we’ve had the good opportunity to exchange views on our
bilaterals on our relations, issues, on regional development. And
once again, the successful development of our relations continues
and empowers many more areas.

Our relations really have a long history, and they started mainly with
energy issues, and those were projects which were implemented in our
region, initiated by Azerbaijan with the strong support from the United
States — and so are implemented. It’s a real success story. And we
are working now on the further development of energy partnership and
diversification of energy supplies, which is important not only for
consumers but also for producers like Azerbaijan’s.

And after that, relations between our countries started to develop also
in different areas. Now, they cover a very broad orbit of cooperation:
political relations developed successfully, are very strong; economic
ties; relations in security issues, in defense issues; relations
in peacekeeping operations in around the world. Of course, issues
of settlement of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno- Karabakh
conflict are very important for us, and the United States as — along
with the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group plays a very important role in
helping both sides to find a solution to the conflict. But, of course,
solution must be based on international laws, as every other conflict,
with respect to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and to the
territorial integrity of all the countries in the region and in
the world.

Of course, regional development here was discussed, and Azerbaijan
initiated many projects which have a broad regional dimension, and
maybe importance even beyond the regional scale. And here also,
relations between the United States and Azerbaijan play a very
important — I should say, decisive — role in implementing of all
these projects.

So far we’ve been very successful, and worked with plans we
implemented, and I’m sure that a strong partnership between the United
States and Azerbaijan and other countries in the region will lead to
more successes in the future, will lead to a strengthening of security
measures, peace, stability, and prosperity for all of us.

CHENEY: Well, thank you very much, Mr. President, and it is a pleasure
to see you again. And we remember very fondly your visit to the
States two years ago. Of course, we met some years in the past when
we were both in the energy business. It’s a pleasure to be here and
to take up a longstanding invitation to visit. This is a trip that was
planned some time ago. I want to thank you for the hospitality you’ve
shown me, and my wife, and our delegation. And I’m honored, as well,
to bring good wishes to the people of Azerbaijan from President Bush
and the people of the United States.

The U.S. and Azerbaijan have many interests in common. We both seek
greater stability, security and cooperation in the vital region of
the world. We share the goal of energy security for ourselves and
for the international community. And we are both devoted to the
cause of peace. One of the basic foundations of security and peace
is respect for national borders — a principle that is endangered
today. Mr. President, although we decided on this visit months ago,
we met this evening in the shadow of the recent Russian invasion of
Georgia — an act that has been clearly condemned by the international
community. President Bush has sent me here with a clear and simple
message to the people of Azerbaijan and the entire region: The
United States has deep and abiding interests in your well being
and security. For almost two decades, we have stood by you to help
your people build and consolidate their independence, sovereignty
and integration as valued, respected members of the international
community. Today, we reaffirm that commitment, and our determination
to strengthen relations between our countries — not just today,
but for the long term.

America strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan. We are committed to achieving a negotiated solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict — a solution that starts with the
principle of territorial integrity, and takes into account other
international principles. Achieving a solution is more important now
than ever before; that outcome will enhance peace and stability in
the region, and Azerbaijan’s security, as well.

America also appreciates Azerbaijan’s commitment to working with
Western countries on energy issues. All peoples are best served when
market principles are allowed to work; when there is transparency of
information; when energy export routes are diverse and reliable. The
United States strongly believes that, together with the nations of
Europe, including Turkey, we must work with Azerbaijan and other
countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia on additional routes for
energy exports that ensure the free flow of resources. Energy security
is essential to us all, and the matter is becoming increasingly urgent.

Finally, Mr. President, I want to express my country’s appreciation
for the brave contributions that Azerbaijan is making to the
fight against the global terrorism problem. Our forces have worked
together in Afghanistan and Iraq. We cooperated to foil plots by
violent extremists. Our countries are united in recognizing the
threat posed to Azerbaijan and the world by the proliferation of
nuclear weapons to dangerous regimes. America deeply appreciates
Azerbaijan’s contributions to the cause of peace and security, both
in this volatile region and internationally. And we support the people
of Azerbaijan in their efforts, often in the face of great challenges,
to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights,
and to build a prosperous, modern, independent country that can serve
as a pillar of moderation and stability in this critical part of the
world. Thank you very much.