AJC Lauds Peres Visit to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan

JERUSALEM, June 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC welcomes Israeli President Shimon Peres's groundbreaking visit to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan this week.

"The historic invitation extended to President Peres by these two predominately Muslim countries illustrates what is possible when both sides truly want to cooperate," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan share Israel's desire for a peaceful future based upon mutual respect. We can only hope that more Muslim-majority countries will follow their example, recognizing that normal relations with Israel are in their own best interest."

Peres departs today for the two central Asian states. It will be the first official visit of an Israeli leader to Azerbaijan, with which Israel has a key strategic partnership. An AJC leadership delegation visited Baku in August 2008, meeting privately with President Ilham Aliyev and other high-ranking officials.

"We have witnessed the spirit of tolerance in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, where Jews have lived in harmony with their neighbors for centuries," Harris said. "We look forward to returning on future visits, and to contributing to stronger ties with these two key countries."

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, based partly in Kazakhstan, is an international partner of AJC -- one of AJC's 28 formal associations with Jewish institutions around the world.

http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=2818289&content_id={0FFD4CFA-E209-4465-BD1C-7C7F35580469}&notoc=1