Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
May 23 2005

BAKU: Iran Azerbaijan talk militaries

TEHRAN – Iran’s President Mohammad Khatami offered assuring words to
Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister Safar Abiyev during his official visit
this weekend to Iran, saying Azerbaijan need not fear a powerful
Iran, according to Iranian news agencies.

In an apparent reference to mushrooming U.S. military bases in the
former Soviet republics, Khatami was quoted as describing the
presence of foreign troops as `a threat to the security and peace of
regional countries and an affront to them.’

`Through coexistence and non-interference in each other’s affairs and
maintaining mutual respect, we should complement our defense
capabilities and protect security and peace in the region,’ he added.

In January, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev paid an official visit
to Iran at part of the two countries’ efforts to warm up diplomatic
relations.

Khatami touched on `historical relations’ between Iran and
Azerbaijan, hoping ties would bolster `in line with the principle of
maintaining security and tranquility in the region.’

`Tehran-Baku relations can serve as a suitable example for other
countries given their ideological, political and international
commonalties,’ he said.

Later in the week, Azeri media reported Abiyev dismissed reports that
NATO troops might be stationed in Azerbaijan to safeguard the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline. The defense minister was
quoted as saying Azerbaijan was an independent country pursuing its
own free policies.

Last month during a brief stop in Azerbaijan as part of a fast moving
tour of Iraq and Afghanistan U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
met with Abiyev and addressed Azeri peacekeepers in Iraq and the
current pace of settlement talks regarding the Karabakh conflict.

While brief, the trip generated huge interest among Azerbaijani
media, with some reports calling the visit `shrouded in secrecy.’
Local analysts blamed the suspicion on recent international
speculation that the United States seeks to establish a major
military presence in Azerbaijan.

The U.S. Embassy on Azerbaijan has since dismissed the rumors.

Back in Iran, Abiyev also oversaw the signing of military
co-operation agreement in Iran, in addition to discussions over
issues pertaining to the Caspian Sea.