Historical background to the document "Statement of Heydar Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the Ceremony in the Signature of the Joint Statement on the US-Azerbaijani Relations and the Treaty between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the United States of America on the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (August 01, 1997)"


The first official visit of Heydar Aliyev to the United States on 27 July - August 7, 1997, is of a historic importance because of its contents, significance of the signed documents and general outcomes.

Heydar Aliyev met and held negotiations with the US President Bill Clinton during the visit. The joint statement on the US-Azerbaijani relations, the agreement between the two countries on the protection and promotion of bilateral investments, the joint statement on the future relations between the two countries in the sphere of defense, the statement on the intention of establishing a bilateral dialogue on the development of energy sector between the two countries, the general agreement between the National Bank of the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Export-Import Bank of the United States on the promotion of projects, four contracts between SOCAR and the US oil companies on the exploration, development and production sharing of the oil deposits in the Azerbaijani Sector of the Caspian Sea are among the important outcomes of that visit. Signature of oil contracts in the White House for the first time demonstrated the importance attached to Heydar Aliyev`s visit to the United States.

During his visit Heydar Aliyev had totally 88 meetings with the US President, ministers, businesspeople, and reporters in Washington, New York, Houston, and Chicago.

“90 Instants of the Great leader”, Heydar Aliyev Heritage research center, “Sharq-Qarb”, Baku-2013, p.97