On 26 April Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met in Washington with the representatives of the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with offices in Baku. Attending the gathering were representatives of the Soros Foundation, Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, IREX and the National Democracy Institute, Trend reports.
Opening the gathering President Ilham Aliyev stated that his to Washington is an excellent opportunity for the resolution of issues of mutual interest between Azerbaijan and the United States and it assumes special significance for further development of bilateral cooperation.
In his turn head of IREX, Mark Pomar noted that his organization implements exchange programs in Azerbaijan in the sphere of education, while the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States, Hafiz Pashayev, even during the Soviet period in 1970s he was one of the first Azerbaijani graduates of the project. It symbolizes a good example of our cooperation, he underlined.
Following Pomar representatives of the NGOs spoke about the activities and perspective projects of their organizations. They noted the favorable terms established in Azerbaijan for their functioning. The organizations are also committed to fulfill a task on further consolidation of Azerbaijan, support to its just position and spread of truth about Azerbaijan and the work in this direction will be continued.
The same day Azerbaijani President had an interview with Farid Zakari for the US television channel Р Р'РЎ.
On 26 April Aliyev visited the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington.
The Arlington Cemetery is an eternal place of all those who perished their lives for freedom since the establishment of the American state. The soldiers killed during the armed operations in Iraq have been also buried here.
Azerbaijani President also laid a wreath to a Monument of Unknown Soldier. 19 cannon volley were made in the honor of the Azerbaijani leader and state anthems of Azerbaijan and the United States was played.
After, the head of state got familiar with the museum functioning here. He took a particular interest in a saber gifted to the museum by the national leader Heydar Aliyev during his first official visit to the United States in 1997.
President Aliyev presented a gift to the museum.