The Aliyev wind in Washington

Washington. Heydar Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who is on a visit to Washington, is displaying an art of diplomacy in his relationship with the U.S.

Heydar Aliyev, who is well aware of the political and financial power of the Armenian lobby in the U.S. when with the American press, he speaks loudly together with such men as Zbigniew Brezinski, Richard Cheney, Alexander Haig, Kaspar Weinberger who once occupied the highest posts in the U.S government and could create an "Azerbaijani lobby," Heydar Aliyev tries to make use of the protection of the big oil companies by giving the oil resources of his country, which total an estimated four trillion dollars.

Aliyev was given a warm welcome in Washington. In his meetings there, he promised to advance the democratic reforms in the country. He says he wants peace, nevertheless in an impressive from he makes everybody understand that one-fifth of its territory is under the Armenian occupation.

Aliyev stressed the necessity of solution of the Garabag conflict by observing the territorial integrity of the country and granting the highest status of autonomy to the Nagorno-Karabakh. He said that he was ready to sign new oil contracts with the biggest U.S. companies such as Chevron, Exxon and Mobil, worth ten million dollars a year.

"Aliyev is a real friend"

Able to estimate the political power of support rendered by the "brain team" who occupied the highest post in the former governments, and the big oil companies, Heydar Aliyev's successful policy began to display its fruits. The Ministry of Trade of the U.S. said that it was going to open a representative office in Baku, while the U.S. ambassador to Baku Richard Kozlarich said at a meeting that Aliyev was a real friend of the business world of the America.

The visit of Heydar Aliyev to the U.S. opens a new stage in the relations of the two countries. The U.S. in need of new oil resources outside the Middle East, is pleased to expand relations with Azerbaijan. The competent officials in the U.S. speak openly of the important political, geographical and commercial position of Azerbaijan as the only country in the region that does not have Russian military bases in its territory. The assistant of the State Secretary Stroub Talbott said that he supported the repeal of Section 907, which banned American humanitarian aid to Azerbaijan. The Senate of the U.S. also begins to consider this issue. The U.S. wants Azerbaijan to be free from the influence of Russia and Iran, and develop democracy and its economy as an independent state. Stroub Talbott also declared that he was against the tearing away of Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan while solving the conflict.

"Milli gazette",
Turkey, August 2, 1997