Speech by Heydar Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the meeting with well-known US political figure Greg Laflin. Houston, 3 August, 1997

Dear Mr. Laflin!

First of all, let me express my gratitude for your sincere and pleasant words about our country and processes underway in Azerbaijan. I consider you a friend of Azerbaijan and I appreciate highly your services in defending just position of Azerbaijan.

In would like to stress that increase of number of people who love Azerbaijan in the United States is of great importance and I think that this is most evident example of strengthening of the position of our republic within the world community.

Stressing the great influence of the power of world community, as well as that of the friends of our country for peaceful solution of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and abrogation of the amendment to the 907th Section of Freedom Support Act, I would like to say that increase of the number of such steps towards truth pleases us and strengthen our belief in the success of our struggle for justice.

I invite you to visit Azerbaijan. I am sure that accepting my invitation, you will increase the number of your friends in Azerbaijan, you will get an opportunity to witness the genuine Azerbaijani friendship and sincerity as many of our American friends did.

Thank you.