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Mehriban Aliyeva meets with Laura Bush

08 December 2006 09:23 (UTC +04:00)

Mehriban Aliyeva met with U.S. First Lady Laura Bush in White House. The First Ladies spoke of the role of education, health and culture in the development of Azerbaijan-US relations. Mehriban Aliyeva and Laura Bush informed each other about the programs and projects realized in their countries. They stressed the importance of education. At the end of the meeting Mehriban Aliyeva invited Laura Bush to Azerbaijan. Within her visit, Mehriban Aliyeva met with the U.S. senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson and congressman Shelley Sekula Gibbs. Mehriban Aliyeva stressed the development of the relations between Azerbaijan and the US and said this partnership should be improved. First Lady also touched upon the importance of energy projects realized in the Caspian basin and noted that the US played a great role in their realization. Senator Hutchinson drew attention to the successful cooperation of Azerbaijan and the US and said a lot of U.S. companies invested funds in Azerbaijan. At the end of the meeting partnership memorandum was signed between Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Vital Voice NGO. Mehriban Aliyeva also met with the Azeri students studying in different states of the US. US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce gave a reception in honour of Mehriban Aliyeva in Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington. The officials of White House and Department of State, U.S. congressmen, prominent statesmen, accredited foreign ambassadors to the US participated in the meeting. US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, senator Richard Lugar made speech in the reception. Mehriban Aliyeva spoke of the importance of Azerbaijan-US relations and hoped that this visit will contribute to the broadening of bilateral cooperation. Mehriban Aliyeva was rewarded prize â€œGoodwill ambassador of 2006â€? by US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce. Richard Lugar was also rewarded prize â€œSupport to Freedomâ€? by the Chamber. /APA/