US general vows to secure Armenia’s participation in NATO exercises in Baku
Mediamax news agency
26 Apr 04
YEREVAN
“Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has assured me that Armenian
servicemen can take part in the Cooperative Best Effort-2004
exercises,” the deputy commander of the US European Command, Gen
Charles Wald, said in Yerevan today.
Gen Wald said that he had personally discussed this problem with the
Azerbaijani president. “Ilham Aliyev has personally assured me that
Armenian servicemen will have no problems participating in the
Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises,” the US general said.
In addition, Charles Wald said that “US ambassador to NATO Nicholas
Burns is dealing with issues concerning Armenia’s participation in the
exercises on the territory of Azerbaijan”.
The head of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Gen-Col
Mikael Arutyunyan, today confirmed Armenia’s readiness to take part in
the Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises on the territory of
Azerbaijan.
Last January, the Azerbaijani authorities did not allow Armenian
officers to arrive in Baku to take part in the planning conference of
the Cooperative Best Effort-2004 exercises due to be held in the
autumn of 2004 on the territory of Azerbaijan within the framework of
NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme.