MINISTER OF DEFENCE MEETS NATO SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
April 11 2006
On april 10, Minister of Defence of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Safar
Abiyev met with Robert Simons, the NATO Secretary General’s special
representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Minister Abiyev said Azerbaijan is closely cooperating with NATO
successfully fulfilling its obligations under the Individual
Partnership Action Plan (IPAP).
He noted Azerbaijan’s aim is to integrate into European security
structures, but the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
prevents Azerbaijan-NATO relations from developing.
Robert Simons said Azerbaijan-NATO relations have big prospects and
IPAP would give an impetus to the improvement of Azerbaijan’s defence.
Speaking of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, Mr. Simons said NATO espouses
peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Safar Abiyev also noted Armenia has been violating all international
norms.
“The international community should press Armenia on this dispute.
Azerbaijan will itself restore its territorial integrity if the
problem is not peacefully solved”, Mr. Abiyev added.
They also discussed the military-plitical situation in the South
Caucasus as well as prospects of Azerbaijan-NATO relations and
participation of Azerbaijan in peacemaking operations.