Event on Azerbaijan-US relations held in Salt Lake City

Baku, February 14 (AzerTAc). An event titled “Azerbaijan-US relations: unsolved conflicts in the region” has been held in Salt Lake City, the US. The event was organized by the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. A special guest at the event, Azerbaijani Ambassador in Washington Elin Suleymanov highlighted the history and current state of Azerbaijani-US relations, the regional role of the USA, and the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Ambassador provided an insight into Azerbaijan`s oil strategy, stressing the importance of the “Contract of the Century” signed in 1994, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. He pointed to the recent signing of the final investment decision on the Shah Deniz-2 project, saying the event has played a special role in European energy security. “This is the result of the purposeful strategy founded by national leader Heydar Aliyev and continued today by President Ilham Aliyev.” He also provided an insight into the history and consequences of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mr. Suleymanov said the continuing occupation of Azerbaijan`s lands by Armenia was the main obstacle to regional integration. The Ambassador spoke about Khojaly genocide, adding this year marks the 22nd anniversary of the massacre. “The crime was the result of Armenia`s aggressive policy against the Azerbaijanis”. The event featured a question-and-answer session with the Azerbaijani Ambassador. Following the event Mr. Suleymanov met Governor of Utah Gary Herbert.