Washington, 31 July 1997 (RFE/RL) - Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev will call on several U.S. cabinet secretaries today as he continues his official working visit in Washington.
The president is first scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary William Cohen to discuss defense cooperation and other military issues. Aliyev also has meetings scheduled with Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, Energy Secretary Frederico Pena and Commerce Secretary William Daley. He is also scheduled to have talks with World Bank president James Wolfensohn.
In a speech in Washington yesterday, Aliyev called on the U.S. Congress to repeal a law that probibits the U.S. government from granting economic aid to Azerbaijan because of its economic blockade of Armenia. Aliyev says the law is unjust and is hindering his nation's development.