Azeri minister, NATO chief fail to agree on Armenian presence at Baku drills – TV

ANS TV, Baku
14 Sep 04

[Presenter] The position of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry over
the cancellation of NATO’s military exercises has been disclosed by
the ministry’s press service.

[Correspondent] The cancellation of NATO’s military exercises in
Baku has been discussed at a meeting attended by Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
and NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the head of the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press service, Matin Mirza, has said.

He also clarified reports by some media outlets suggesting that
the Azerbaijani minister had allegedly been summoned to the NATO
headquarters. No-one can summon the Azerbaijani foreign minister,
he simply met the secretary-general on the sidelines of his visit
to Brussels, end quote. Matin Mirza added that while in Brussels,
Elmar Mammadyarov stated that the Azerbaijani side had no intention
of issuing visas to Armenian officers.

[Matin Mirza, captioned, talking to camera] It was also stated that
the participation of the Armenian side in the exercises in Baku
could deal a blow to the efforts being taken ahead of the meeting
of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents on the sidelines of the
forthcoming CIS summit in Astana.

[Correspondent] The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry does not believe
that the cancellation of the exercises could damage Azerbaijani-NATO
relations in any way.

[Mirza] Although the Azerbaijani side regrets the fact that the
exercises have been canceled, we would like to say that this will
not damage Azerbaijani-NATO relations. Relations between NATO and
Azerbaijan will continue to develop.

[Correspondent] Having completed his visit to Brussels, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has left the Belgian capital for Astana
where the CIS summit is due to be held.

Mahir Mammadli, Ibrahim Telmanoglu, ANS.