Washington, 30 July 1997 (RFE/RL) - Azerbaijan's President Heydar Aliyev will outline his government's position on oil pipelines and peace negotiations with Armenia in a major public address in Washington today.
Our correspondent says that in a speech at Georgetown University, he is expected to welcome America's increased interest in developing pipelines to carry Caspian Sea oil to western markets.
Aliyev will also praise increased U.S. participation in peace negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.
Last night, the Azerbaijani embassy hosted a reception for hundreds of U.S. officials, businessmen, foreign diplomats and academic specialists. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott was there to welcome Aliyev in the name of the U.S. adminstration.
But outside the hotel, hundreds of Armenian Americans demonstrated to protest Aliyev's visit. They carried placards denouncing Aliyev as a former KGB general who they said is guilty of atrocities against ethnic Armenians.