AZERI TV CRITICAL OF ARMENIAN PRESENCE AT BAKU-HOSTED OSCE FORUM

ANS TV, Baku
16 Mar 06

[Presenter] We have just learnt that representatives of the occupying
state [Armenia] have set foot in Azerbaijan. It is intriguing that
the government does not think this is a sign of Baku’s cooperation
with Yerevan.

[Correspondent] The 14th OSCE economic forum entitled
“Enhancing transport security in the OSCE area” was held in Baku
today. Regrettably, representatives of occupying Armenia have attended
this closed-door forum. The Armenian delegation led by a Nersesyan
of the Foreign Ministry includes this country’s representative to the
OSCE, Minasyan, and Vaan Badalyan of the Transport and Communications
Ministry.

Frank Geerkens, who represents the OSCE’s Belgian chairmanship, said
that the key aim of the forum was to ensure the security of transport
networks and develop transport in the OSCE area.

[Geerkens, talking to reporters with Azeri voice-over] We mainly
focused on regional cooperation. The OSCE mainly deals with three
key issues. First, political and military issues, second, economy
and environment, and third, human rights.

[Correspondent] The Belgian representative sees nothing extraordinary
in the fact that representatives of occupying Armenia are attending
official events in Baku.

[Geerkens] The OSCE deals with conflict settlement and crisis
management. From this point of view, the main priority of the OSCE
chairman-in-office is to find the best way, a diplomatic way, for the
resolution of a conflict and play a coordinating role in this sphere.

[Correspondent] What is more shocking is that Azerbaijani Deputy
Prime Minister Abid Sarifov, who is attending the forum, also sees
nothing extraordinary in the fact that Armenian representatives are
attending the Baku event.

[Sarifov] The presence of the Armenian representatives at the
conference does not mean that we cooperate with Armenia.

[Correspondent] Members of the Karabakh Liberation Organization
attempted to stage an unsanctioned protest but the police thwarted it.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress