Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 20, 2004, Wednesday

SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE CAUCASUS: NATO ADVOCATES A SOLUTION TO THE
ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONFLICT ON THE BASIS OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will visit Azerbaijan in
the course of his tour of the region in early November, his Envoy for
the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said in his exclusive
interview.

Does NATO plan participation in conflict settlement in Abkhazia,
Ossetia, and Karabakh?

“The Alliance is not involved directly in the search for solutions to
these extended conflicts,” Simmons replied. At the same time, NATO
supports efforts of international organizations and mediators seeking
ways and means to settle the conflicts that impede stable development
of the region.

What is the condition of the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan
and NATO?

Azerbaijan “has traditionally been” one of the most active
participants of NATO programs. The Alliance appreciates Azerbaijan’s
“positive and dynamic” contribution to these programs and its
participation in NATO operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan, Simmons
said.

The government of Azerbaijan and NATO are working on the Individual
Partnership Program. It will promote the bilateral political dialogue
and dramatic reforms in the Azerbaijani defense sphere. All of that
will enable the Alliance to offer Azerbaijan even more my way of
assistance.

A part of Azerbaijani society blames NATO for support of the
aggressive policy of Armenia that occupied Azerbaijani territories…

According to Simmons, NATO advocates a solution to the problems
between its partners on the basis of “the principles of independence,
sovereignty, and territorial integrity of all countries.”

“NATO hopes that a peaceful solution to the conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan will be found soon. We welcome negotiations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia on the highest level,” Simmons said. “The
negotiations are taking place within the framework of the OSCE Minsk
Group. They are of paramount importance for the whole region.”

Source: TURAN news agency (Baku), October 15, 2004

Translated by A. Ignatkin