AZERBAIJAN TO OPEN EMBASSIES IN EIGHT MORE COUNTRIES

Turan news agency
16 Apr 04

BAKU

The Azerbaijani Milli Maclis (parliament) decided today to establish
embassies in Canada, Hungary, Greece, Latvia, India, Belarus, Bulgaria
and Indonesia. Also, a permanent representative office of the
Azerbaijani Republic in UNESCO has been set up in Paris.

During the debate, MPs from the People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party
(“reformers”), Asim Mollazada and Alimammad Nuriyev, the head of the
Compatriot Party, Mais Safarli, and the head of the United Azerbaijan
People’s Front Party, Qudrat Hasanquliyev, said it was necessary to
set up an Azerbaijani embassy in Israel. They tried to substantiate
their opinion with the fact that Azerbaijan and Israel are members of
the “antiterror coalition”. Also, they said that Israel supports
Azerbaijan’s cause in the international arena and that it was one of
the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan’s independence.

The opinion that the opening of an Azerbaijani embassy in Israel could
trigger a negative reaction in Iran was described as “unsubstantiated”.
The MPs noted that Iran was continuously stepping up diplomatic
relations with Armenia.