Pan Armenian Network, Armenia
April 30 2004

ILHAM ALIYEV ASSURES ARMENIAN MILITARY OFFICERS WILL ARRIVE IN BAKU

President of Azerbaijan secures the participation of Armenian
soldiers in NATO trainings.

The Deputy Commander of the European Commandership of the U.S. armed
forces Charles Wold, while in Yerevan said on April 26 that nothing
will impede the Armenian military officers to participate in the
”Cooperative Best Effort 2004” trainings to be held in autumn 2004
in Azerbaijan within the frames of the ”Partnership for Peace” NATO
Program.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The General said this was guaranteed by President
Aliyev personally. In Baku, however, the ”Organization of Karabakh
liberation” radical group declared it would not allow the Armenian
officers to enter the territory of Azerbaijan. The guarantees of
Ilham Aliyev became the result of the attempts of the U.S. Ambassador
to Baku Rino Harnish and Permanent representative of the Washington
administration in NATO Nikolas Berns. In Baku they understood that
Brussels might change the place of the upcoming trainings. Recent
statements of the head of the Defense Ministry’s press service Ramiz
Melikov prove it: ”If Armenians want they can participate in the
maneuvers,” the Azeri colonel said.

However, there is another viewpoint in the military circles of
Azerbaijan. Military expert, Colonel Uzeir Jafarov said that the
Azerbaijani government does not have to promise anything to anybody.
”It has to be taken into account that we are in a situation of war
with Armenia,” Jafarov says. But the harshest statements belong to
Akif Nagi, leader of the radical group ”Organization of Karabakh
Liberation”. He hints that he will organize terrorist acts in the
airport if the Armenians arrive in Baku.

No doubts that Nagi’s behavior is approved by the authorities.
According to the available information, Aliyev has agreed with
participation of Armenians only in case if Yerevan sends one or two
officers. So, it is evident that the Azerbaijani authorities want to
deprive Armenians of the real possibilities of cooperation with the
NATO partners. In this situation, participation of Armenia in a farce
to be used by the Azeris for propaganda goals seems extremely
doubtful.

29.04.2004, “PanARMENIAN Network” analytical department