NATO Cancels Its War Games in Azerbaijan

RIA OREANDA
Economic News
September 17, 2004 Friday

Baku. Appeared in Russian in Moscow’s ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA. NATO has for
the first time in its history cancelled its military exercises slated
to begin on September 13 on the territory of Azerbaijan as part of the
Partnership for Peace Program. Notably, NATO was forced to do so not
because of some natural or man-caused calamities or refusal of one of
the parties to participate, but because the Azerbaijani authorities
refused to issue visas to the Armenian military. Exercises as part
of the program Cooperative Best Effort 2004 were formerly stages in
Armenia and Georgia, and were designed to practice the key aspects
of peacekeeping operations. In line with the unchangeable “principle
of parity” the exercises were to be held in Azerbaijan as well. The
principle of parity has been violated this time, forcing NATO to cancel
the exercises, read a NATO press release. The scandal the erupted
over these war games began long before their cancellation and lasted
for over nine months. Back in January Armenia’s representatives were
unable to attend a conference in Turkey that preceded the exercises
also for lack of visas. But Yerevan was determined not to give up,
making consistent efforts to participate in the maneuvers, albeit to
no avail.