Cheney in Azerbaijan for talks on Georgia, energy

BAKU, Azerbaijan (CNN) - U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney arrived Wednesday in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku, the first stop of an overseas trip that will take him to three former Soviet republics less than a month after the conflict between Georgia and Russia began.

That crisis will be a top issue on Cheney's agenda in Azerbaijan and further stops in Georgia and Ukraine. Cheney also plans to travel to Italy as part of the trip.

Cheney's trip began as U.S. government sources confirmed the Bush administration plans to announce Wednesday a $1 billion aid package for Georgia