'US attaches great importance to relations with Azerbaijan'

The United States attaches great importance to its relations with Azerbaijan, said US Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bridget Brink as she met with Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. Bridget Brink said had fruitful discussions with President Ilham Aliyev. She noted the importance of developing Azerbaijan-US cooperation. Brink noted that the US government values Azerbaijan's assistance to the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan and its contribution to the fight against terrorism. They praised cooperation between the two countries in the fields of economy, energy, fight against terrorism, peacekeeping operations. FM Mammadyarov gave detailed information about the negotiations to solve the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Stressing the unacceptability of the status quo, Mammadyarov underlined the importance of United States' increasing efforts to resolve the conflict along with other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. FM Mammadyarov provided an insight into the transport and energy projects which were initiated by and involve Azerbaijan, and hailed the US`s support for these projects. They also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest.