Armenia should refuse taking part in Baku exercise – Azeri defence minister

ANS TV, Baku
10 Sep 04

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev has voiced his view about the
planned visit of Armenian officers to Baku [on 13-26 September]. At a
meeting with the outgoing Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan, Nikolay
Ryabov, Abiyev said that Armenia neither recognizes Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity nor gives up laying fresh territorial claims
to Azerbaijan. There are no diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia. In this case, is it expedient for Armenian servicemen
to take part in the Baku-hosted exercises? End of quote.

The minister said that the Azerbaijani people are categorically against
the participation of Armenian officers in these exercises. Armenia’s
efforts to participate in these exercises in the run-up to the CIS
summit in Astana [Kazakhstan] where the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents plan to hold a meeting, could further aggravate relations
between the two states and undermine the talks.

The Defence Ministry says that Armenia tries to show that it welcomes
international cooperation, but has only occasionally attended
NATO events. Armenia should refuse taking part in the Baku-hosted
exercises. For example, Abiyev said, Azerbaijan did not attend a
similar event in Armenia last year.