Gul, US' Obama telephone Azerbaijan's Aliyev to reaffirm commitment to strong relationship

President Abdullah Gul on Monday and US President Barack Obama on Tuesday called their Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, after he reacted negatively to unconfirmed reports that the Turkish-Armenian border would be opened. "We're ready to do whatever we can to reach a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue," said Gul. "Azerbaijan is a very important country for us." A White House statement said, "The president had a good conversation with President Aliyev. He reaffirmed US commitment to a strong relationship with Azerbaijan and to supporting progress toward a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The president also underscored the importance of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation, which will lead to greater peace and security in the region." Aliyev also reportedly told Gul about his conversation with Obama.