Bush calls for progress in peace talks

Senior Bush Administration officials briefed reporters on April 9 on President Bush’s meetings with President Robert Kocharian of Armenia and President Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan at the White House earlier in the day and said last week’s peace talks in Key West, Florida, between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Upper Garabagh had been “very successful”.

“Both meetings were extremely warm in tone”, the White House briefer said. He added that Bush met with Kocharian and Aliyev separately, accompanied by vice-president Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and ambassador Carey Cavanaugh, one of the three co-chairs of the Key West talks.

At the beginning of his meeting with Aliyev, President Bush passed on greetings from George Bush Sr., America’s 41st president.

President Aliyev told a news conference after the meeting that he was very satisfied with the meeting. He said the two had focused on bilateral relations, production and transportation of Caspian hydrocarbons and, of course, ways of solution to the Garabagh conflict.

“I also brought up the unfair Section 907 issue, which impedes US assistance to Azerbaijan”, he added.

The White House briefer said President Bush emphasized the support of the United States for Armenia’s democratic and free market transformation. They also discussed the future of the region, which will be greatly brightened by peace and open door to investment.

Mr. Cavanaugh has described the White House meetings as “continuation of successful negotiations in Key West”.*