AZERBAIJAN NOT GOING TO JOIN NATO
Interfax News Agency
May 12 2008
Russia
Azerbaijan actively cooperates with NATO, but thinks that it is
too early to join the alliance, Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev
said."It is too early to speak about this [joining the alliance]. Time
will show," Abiyev said in an interview with Azerbaijan’s ANS TV
company.
There is no unity among CIS member countries, while strengthening
military cooperation between Russia and Armenia forces Baku to react,
Abiyev said.
"Today, one can say that there is no unity among CIS member states,"
Abiyev said.
"That is right, the main country that forms the policy in the CIS
space is Russia. You know well what relations Russian has with Armenia.
This undoubtedly forces us to make certain measures as to this tandem,"
the minister said.
The Azeri Armed Forces cooperate with 50 countries of the world,
primarily Turkey, the United States, Pakistan, the United Kingdom,
and Germany, while bilateral military cooperation agreements, which
provide for mutual assistance on a number of issues, have been signed
with 24 countries of the world," Abiyev said.
Abiyev doubts that peacekeeping forces could soon be established within
the framework of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova).
"We [GUAM] have established very active ties, which are developing
day by day; however, the talks have been underway, and one cannot
say that today all GUAM members are ready to create any armed or
peacekeeping forces," Abiyev said in an interview.
The minister, however, said that that a possible entry of some GUAM
members to NATO will not hinder the creation of a GUAM peacekeeping
contingent. "GUAM is not going to cease operating after Ukraine and
Georgia join NATO," Abiyev said.
The recent withdrawal of Azeri peacekeepers from Kosovo after some
countries recognized the independence for the region did not have a
negative impact on Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO.
"NATO members understand well why Azerbaijan withdrew its peacekeepers
[from Kosovo], and they say this openly to us. There are no and there
can be no problems here. We are an independent state, and this was
our decision. This means that Azerbaijan can voice its opinion without
fearing anyone," Abiyev said.