NATO conference suspended as Azeris protest at Armenian officers’ presence

Lider TV, Baku
22 Jun 04

The final planning conference of the Cooperative Best Effort-2004
exercises, which are due to be held in September within the
framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme, started in Baku
today. Representatives from 10 NATO member countries and 11 partner
states are attending this event.

Members of the Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO] have been
picketing the Hyatt Regency Hotel since last night in protest against
the arrival of Armenian officers in Baku. They said they had learnt
that the Armenian officers were staying there.

Today, members of the KLO gathered outside Hotel Europe, the venue
of the conference. Although police tried to disperse the crowd, some
of the protesters managed to get into the hotel. Despite the police
resistance, the protesters smashed the glass door and entered the
conference hall. The conference suspended its work for a few minutes,
but it resumed after the protesters were sent away from the hall.