AZERBAIJANI-TURKISH SUMMIT.

On an official visit to Turkey, Azerbaijani president Haidar Aliev signed with his Turkish counterpart, Suleyman Demirel, a declaration on "strategic partnership." Drafted largely by Baku on the model of similar documents it has signed with Georgia and Ukraine, the declaration focuses on regional economic cooperation, including energy transportation. In the most important development during the visit, Aliev confirmed Azerbaijan’s long-implied preference for the Turkish route — Baku-Ceyhan — rather than the Russian route for the "big" Caspian oil due after 2001. (Western agencies, May 6-7)

Still No Breakthrough in NATO-Russian Talks.