Within her visit to the USA, the First Lady of Azerbaijan, Head of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Working Group, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Good-Will Ambassador of UNESCO, Mehriban Aliyeva invited the First Lady of the USA Laura Bush to visit Azerbaijan, Trend reports with reference to Azertaj.
During the meeting, the first ladies of the two countries highlighted the role of the education, health and culture in strengthening relations between Azerbaijan and the USA. Aliyeva informed the U.S. First Lady of the projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Azerbaijan. Bush showed a special interest in the education project. They both stressed that the investments allocated for the education was very valuable from the point of view of the future of the two countries and mentioned the importance of continuing the efforts in this sphere.
During the visit, Aliyev met with the U.S. Senator Key Bali Hatginson, Congressmen Shil Skull Gibbs, U.S. Deputy Secretary State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Huz and Deputy State Secretary for Democracy and Global Matters Paul Dobryanski. The meetings focused on the co-operation of the two countries in developing the education, health, ensuring security, as well as interaction of the two countries in fighting against bird flu.
Dobryanski attached a great importance to the conduct of the bilateral discussions regarding democracy and human rights. According to him, Azerbaijan could play a role of bridging the gap between the West and the Islamic world. Commenting on the high level of religious and ethnic tolerance in Azerbaijan, Aliyeva, as a Good-Will Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, expressed her willingness in this respect.
Within the visit, US-Azerbaijani Trade Chamber held a reception in honor of Mehriban Aliyeva, which was attended by the high-ranking officials of the White House and State Department. During the reception, the Azerbaijan's First Lady was awarded Trade Chamber's prize 2006 Good-Will Ambassador.
This concluded Azerbaijan's First Lady Aliyeva's official visit to the USA.