Pressure group vows to bar Armenians from Azeri-hosted NATO conference

ANS TV, Baku
8 Jun 04

[Presenter] Armenian officers have voiced their intention of coming
to Baku. The Armenian Defence Ministry press secretary said that the
officers insist on coming to Baku for exercises to be held within
the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme. The Karabakh
Liberation Organization [KLO] advises the Armenians against this trip.

[Correspondent] Armenian officers declared their intention of coming
to Baku on 22 June. A planning conference for exercises within the
framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme will be held
here on that day. The Armenian Defence Ministry press secretary,
Col Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, told Russia’s Regnum news agency that on 16
June, the Azerbaijani embassy in Georgia will issue relevant papers
to the Armenian officers for their trip to Baku. Let us recall that
the Armenian military was not permitted to attend conferences held
in Baku earlier.

Commenting on the Armenians’ attempts to come to Baku, the head of the
Foreign Ministry’s press service, Matin Mirza, said that the event
is being held within the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace
programme and that not only Armenians, but also representatives of all
the member states of the programme will take part in the conference.

In his opinion, the Armenians’ trip to Baku cannot be regarded as the
establishment of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He
said that there are positive aspects of the Armenians’ visit.

[Matin Mirza] I do not think that the Armenians’ involvement in
the Baku-based event can create any problem for Azerbaijan. On the
contrary, after arriving in Baku and participating in the conference
under the NATO programme, the Armenians will once again witness
dynamic economic and democratic reforms which have been carried
out in Azerbaijan. They will also see for themselves that not only
Azerbaijan, but also Armenia will be weakening until Armenia gives
up its aggressive policy regarding Azerbaijan.

[Correspondent] Mirza also said that by making a fuss on various web
sites, the Armenians want to tarnish Azerbaijan’s image. The Defence
Ministry press service said that the Armenians’ arrival in Baku is not
desirable and we have accurate information that they will not come,
end quote.

KLO chairman Akif Nagi believes that the country’s relevant agencies
should take a firm position on the issue. He said that the enemy
country, which won the first phase of the war, now wants to establish
cooperation with Azerbaijan, and international organizations are busy
rendering Armenia assistance in this sphere.

He does not share the optimism of Azerbaijani diplomats. As for
the statements that NATO will guarantee the Armenians’ security,
he described this as a wrong notion. We will prove that NATO cannot
guarantee the security of any Armenian on the territory of Azerbaijan,
end quote.

[Nagi] If the Armenian officers arrive in Azerbaijan despite our
protests, then keeping to its position, the KLO will make it impossible
for the Armenian officers to enter Baku. If we fail to do this and they
enter Baku via some secret routes, then using its internal reserves,
the KLO will make it impossible to begin the conference. The KLO will
use the most radical methods in this process. I would not like to
make these methods public. I mean that protest rallies will be the
mildest methods to be used. I think if the Armenian officers dare to
come to Baku, they will regret it.

[Correspondent] Nagi called on Azerbaijani officers not to take part
in any event attended by Armenian officers.

Mahir Mammadli and Seyraz Azadoglu, ANS.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress