ArmenPress
Oct 18 2004

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL TO VISIT SOUTH CAUCASUS IN EARLY NOVEMBER

BAKU, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: Robert Simons, a special
representative of NATO’s Secretary General Jap de Hoop Scheffer to
Central Asia and South Caucasus was quoted by Azerbaijani Turan news
agency as saying that Scheffer plans to visit Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Armenia in early November.
In response to a question whether NATO was going to open a
representation office in the Caucasus Simons said a recent NATO
summit in Istanbul adopted two major decisions on the Caucasus and
Central Asia. According to the first one, two NATO senior officers
will be making frequent trips to these regions to monitor the
situation and work with their governments within the frameworks of
Partnership for Peace program. According to the second decision, NATO
appointed its special representatives for these two regions.
Robert Simons also commented on Azerbaijan’s discontent with NATO
and accusations that it supports Armenia’s “aggressive” policy. “NATO
advocates for resolution of problems among its partner countries on
the basis of independence, sovereignty and their territorial
integrity, hoping that all conflicts will be resolved soon through
peaceful ways, ” he was quoted as saying. He also added that NATO’s
decision to cancel Cooperative Best Efforts-2004 maneuvers in
Azerbaijan was not an attempt to defend Armenia. “Our goal is to
develop partnership with all interested countries and provide them
all with equal opportunities,” he said.