Armenians not to attend TRACECA conference in Baku

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 20 2005

Baku, April 19, AssA-Irada — The Armenian delegation has refused to
attend the fourth conference of the TRACECA International Commission
due in Baku on April 21-22.

Armenia has forwarded a note informing the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry and the TRACECA member states that it will not participate
in the event, the national coordinator of TRACECA in Azerbaijan Akif
Mustafayev told local ATV on Tuesday.

The Garabagh Liberation Organization issued a statement on Tuesday
urging the government to take the necessary steps to prevent Armenians’
visit.

Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov said earlier that the Azerbaijani
government provided its consent to inviting Armenian representatives,
as its refusal to do so would cause discontent of the European
Commission funding the project.*