US envoy says Azeri authorities pledged to issue visas to Armenian officers

Turan news agency
15 Sep 04

Baku, 15 September: Preparations for the Cooperative Best Effort
2004 exercises lasted one year and for the last six months the
Azerbaijani authorities had been promising to issue visas to Armenian
officers. However, with only one day left for the start of the
exercises Baku refused to do what it had promised.

This sensational statement was made today by US Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Reno Harnish.

“The USA regrets Baku’s refusal to issue visas to three Armenian
officers. Both countries are members of the Partnership for Peace
programme and both have to take part in the exercises,” the ambassador
said.

The cancellation of the exercises will have a certain impact on
Azerbaijan’s relations with Partnership for Peace, the ambassador said.