BAKU: US deputy secretary of state Armitage sends letter to Aliyev

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Jan 25 2005

U.S. DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD ARMITAGE SENDS LETTER TO
AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV
[January 25, 2005, 13:52:47]

The United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has sent
a letter to the Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, whereby Mr.
Armitage notes ending of his activity in the Department of State,
expresses pleasure of cooperation with President Heydar Aliyev and
President Ilham Aliyev on the base of strategic partnership between
the United States and Azerbaijan, extends his gratitude to the Head
of the Azerbaijan State and emphasizes greater opportunities of this
partnership in the years coming. Realization of these opportunities
will be in the focus of the US Administration and in current year, he
underscores. `I know that my successors will provide for mutual
support in security issues of mutual interest for seeking new ways of
cooperation between our countries. We stand ready to render to You
technical assistance and support in preparation for the coming
parliamentary elections in autumn’.

Mr. Armitage, at the same time, expresses his confidence that he
would with great interest watch opening of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
MEP, strengthening of democracy, economic development and other
processes in the Country.

Expressing optimism for the negotiations carried out on settlement of
the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict, Richard Armitage
finalizes: `Azerbaijan has a special place in my heart. In the
questions of mutual interest, I was pleased of working with your
father and with You, and I was deeply impressed with Your adherence
to the future of Azerbaijan’.