Tillerson Meets Azerbaijani President In Istanbul

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (file photo)

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Istanbul, Turkey.

Tillerson, who attended the World Petroleum Congress hosted by Turkey this year, met with Aliyev on July 10.

According to the Azerbaijani president's website, they discussed issues including bilateral ties, energy cooperation, and the situation in and around the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The U.S. State Department has not released an account of the exchange.

According to Baku, Tillerson praised Azerbaijan's contribution to operations in Afghanistan, and the two men also discussed the political and economic situation in Azerbaijan.

Aliyev's government has been accused of stifling dissent and media freedom in the oil-producing Caspian Sea country.

Tillerson arrived in Istanbul for the July 9-10 World Petroleum Congress after attending the Group of 20 summit in Germany and visiting Ukraine.