That is why the confidential contacts between President Aliyev and President Kocharian are so critical. At last year's 50th Anniversary NATO Summit in Washington, Secretary Albright used the occasion to bring the two Presidents together. Similar exchanges took place last year in Geneva, on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and at the Istanbul OSCE Summit. This January, they met in Moscow and Davos. Sadly, in Armenia and Azerbaijan some forces continue to oppose any solution that does not meet their extremist and unrealistic political objectives.
Progress is slow.
That is why we must not allow this opportunity to pass. In summary, the military status quo is stable, the cease-fire is holding and there is no security reason not to invest in Azerbaijan. There were and should be again important economic complementarities among Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The key point is that the Caucasus, when integrated economically, will become an important market and trade crossroads to the East and the West. Further steps toward peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan will hasten this new opportunity for economic growth and stability in the region.