Sonata Coulter to lead US-Azerbaijan Strategic Working Group

The US-Azerbaijan Strategic Working Group will be headed by Sonata Coulter, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State overseeing policy toward Russia and Central Europe. This was announced by the visiting US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, during a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, APA reports.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State said that she is truly honored to be in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to further US President Donald Trump’s historic vision for peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus.

“I look forward to [discussing] all the bilateral issues that you just mentioned. I look forward to talking with you today about them as well as both our presidents’ historic August summit, from trade to energy cooperation to enhancing regional connectivity and security. All of these things are tied up in those conversations and in the agreement that was made in August, and we have a lot of work ahead to do between us and also with Armenia.

I’m also pleased today to announce the launch of the Working Group that will continue these conversations. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter will be leading this working group. This will establish the Strategic Partnership Charter between the United States and Azerbaijan. This initiative, combined with progress towards a full peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia, will deepen our bilateral relationship, our bilateral partnership and unlock the potential of the South Caucasus as an essential trade corridor,” added the US under secretary of state.