Cancellation of NATO exercises in Baku not to damage bilateral cooperation

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 15 2004

The United States is ‘deeply disappointed’ by the failure of Armenian
officers, who were expected to participate in NATO’s «Cooperative
Best Effort-2004» exercises initially scheduled to be held in Baku,
in getting visas.

This statement was made by the US Department of State spokesman while
commenting on the cancellation of the NATO exercises. nveiling his
stance towards the US spokesman’s statement, Azerbaijani Ambassador
to USA Hafiz Pashayev expressed his disappointment with the fact
that the United States has not taken into account the reasons for the
Azerbaijani public’s protests against the planned visit by Armenian
officers to Baku and the impact that these protests may cause on
talks over the settlement of the Upper Garabagh conflict.

Ambassador Pashayev stressed that the cancellation of NATO exercises
will not cause any damage to long-term cooperation between the Alliance
and Azerbaijan within the Partnership for Peace program.*