To the President of the United States of America, His Excellency Mr. Bill Clinton - Cleveland, May 18, 1999

Mr. President, 

I congratulate you on the high–level and excellent organization of the summit held on April 24-25 in Washington dedicated to the fiftieth  anniversary of NATO, I express my gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to me and the Azerbaijani delegation.

The Washington Summit demonstrated once more that NATO has a great future. I was pleased to participate in the summit and to meet you. Participation of the President of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan in the fiftieth anniversary of NATO and his speech on behalf of the sovereign Azerbaijan is a historic event for our people.

Taking the advantage, we would like to note it once more that we highly appreciate the role of NATO in establishing peace, security and stability in the world and support the adoption of the new strategy of NATO in Washington. I wish you and NATO new successes in the implementation of such a noble mission, as the assurance of security and peaceful coexistence in Europe and throughout the Atlantic area, including the Caucasian region and the whole world.

During my visit in Washington which began on April 22, I held numerous meetings and effective negotiations with the representatives of your administration, senators and congressmen. In my opinion, we were able to do a lot of work in order to develop the bilateral and mutually beneficial relations between the United States and the Republic of Azerbaijan in all the spheres.

I want to note particularly the contracts signed on April 27, in the Senate of the United States between SOCAR and the USA companies "Exxon", "Mobil" and "Moncrief oil” on joint oil developments in three rich oil deposits located in the Azerbaijani Sector of the Caspian Sea. We shall continue strengthening the close cooperation with your administration and the USA companies in the sphere of joint developments of the rich energy resources of the Caspian Basin with the biggest oil and gas companies of the United States of America and the world and their export to the world market in reliably and safely.

The thoughts expressed by you at our meeting on the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, inspired me. I hope that the United States as one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will intensify their efforts to solve the conflict by means of negotiations.

I am sure that the expansion and development of multilateral economic and political relations between the two countries will further strengthen the strategic partnership between our two countries, which was also noted in a joint statement signed by us on August 1, 1997 in the White House.

Mr. President, after the meetings in Washington, I came to Cleveland, Ohio. Taking the advantage of being in your country, on the advice of the doctors, I was examined at Cleveland Clinic, and then I underwent surgery operation on heart.

While being treated here I was personally convinced that Cleveland Clinic is one of the largest medical centers in the world. The clinic is focused on the highest achievements of medical science and technology. High professionalism of the doctors and medical staff, headed by Surgeon Bruce Lytle and Cardiologist Murat Tuzchu captivated me. Overall, I was delighted by the advanced medical services provided at Cleveland Clinic in the treatment of patients and the atmosphere of friendship, warmth and care helped me to recover within a short time. Now I feel very well. According to the doctors, all the indicators of the cardiovascular system function normally.

For all this I express my deep gratitude to the administration of Cleveland Clinic, thousands of doctors and medical staff who work there honourably, treat people and turn them back to life.

I thank you once more for the warm and sincere congratulation sent to me while I was in Cleveland Clinic, for a phone call, for your attention and care and your administration for their great respect and esteem towards me.

Your thoughtfulness, sensitivity and humanity, and your friendly attitude to me increased my respect and esteem to your personality.

I assure you that I will remain faithful to this friendship, and I will continue to strive for the further development and consolidation of friendly relations and strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States with all my forces. Leaving your beautiful country I express my respect and appreciation to you once more, wish you and your family good health, happiness, and successes in your future activity.

Sincerely,

Heydar Aliyev,

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.