AssaIrada, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2004
Armenian delegate attends energy conference in Baku
An international conference dedicated to energy cooperation among the
Caspian basin countries was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel of Baku
on Saturday on the initiative of the European Union.
Issues related to prospects for energy cooperation among regional
countries were discussed at the event attended by delegations from
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, as well as by Armenian
Energy Ministry’s department head Levan Vardanian.
Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov said in the conference that the
Armenian representative’s participation in the event is not a sign
for Azerbaijan’s cooperation with official Yerevan.
Vardanian told journalists that he came to Baku without any
difficulties. He thanked the Azerbaijani side for highly organizing
the conference as well.
Despite the fact that the Azerbaijani government has concealed the
Armenian representative’s planned participation in the conference,
his arrival in Baku has sparked strong protests by local public and
political organizations.
The Garabagh Liberation Organization held a picket outside the Hyatt
Regency Hotel on Saturday in a protest against the Armenian
delegate’s visit. The opposition Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front party
of Azerbaijan, in turn, issued a statement protesting the position of
the government, which has offered facilities for Vardanian’s
participation in the conference and concealed the fact from the
public.
In the statement the party urges the government to express a decisive
attitude towards the issues related to Azerbaijan’s national
interests and take urgent steps to banish the Armenian delegate from
Baku.
During the 2-day visit, Vardanian will also participate in a
conference on cooperation in the area of transport to be held on
Sunday.*