Condoleezza Rice, Azerbaijan, Armenia

Secretary’s Phone Calls: Upcoming Kazan Talks

Question: What did Secretary Rice discuss during her phone calls to Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian?

Answer: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke briefly this morning with President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and President Robert Kocharian of Armenia. She did so in order to stress to them the importance that the United States attaches to their upcoming meeting in Kazan, and to express our hope that the two Presidents will make the compromises necessary in order to reach a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Both leaders were upbeat about the prospects for making progress.

The Secretary stressed to President Aliyev the importance of free and fair parliamentary elections this November in Azerbaijan, and noted his important role in this.

The Secretary also told President Kocharian she hoped Armenia would make progress toward enacting a package of constitutional reforms now before the parliament.

2005/810, Released on August 25, 2005

Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC August 25, 2005 Question Taken at the August 25, 2005 Daily Press Briefing

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