FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nurten Ural, President ATAA
Allison Block, Advocacy Director, ATAA
TEL: 202.483.9090
E-mail: president@ataa.org

ATAA Hosts High-Level Visitors for ATIB Meeting

Washington, DC, December 12, 2007-ATAA recently hosted high-level visitors to Washington at the Turk Evi as part a conference titled: " Azerbaijan-Turkey-US Relationship and its Importance for Eurasia", which was organized by the Azerbaijan Turkey Businessmen Association, The Center for Eurasian Policy of the Woodrow Wilson Center, and the Central Asia Caucasus Institute of Johns Hopkins University. Honored Guests at the Turk Evi meeting included: General Cevik Bir (Ret.), former Commander of the Turkish 1st Army and the Deputy Chief of Turkish General Staff; H.E. Hikmet Cetin, former Foreign Minister of Turkey; H.E. Yasar Aliyev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan; H.E. Hafiz Pashayev, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan; Hon. Valekh Aleskerov, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Azerbaijan; Hon. Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations in the Parliament of Azerbaijan; and Hon. Asim Mollazade, Delegate of the Parliament of Azerbaijan. Representatives of the local Turkish and Azerbaijani community were also present.

The meeting was a productive dialogue between the attendees on a strategy for closer cooperation between Turkish Americans, Azeri Americans and American citizens to advance the shared agendas of each group. Presentations were also given by the Turkish Coalition of America, the Turkish Cultural Foundation and ATAA. The meeting was moderated by Mr. Ahmet Erentok, President and Chairman of the Azerbaijan-Turkey Business Association and Vice-President of the Union of Black Sea and Caspian Confederation of Enterprises.