AZERBAIJANI MINISTERS LEAVE YEREVAN

Today.Az
/55269.html
Sept 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Armenian and Azerbaijani sports officials met in the Armenian Ministry
of Sports and Youth on Sept. 3.

Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov and Chief of Judo
Federation Fuzuli Alakbarov, who is also Labor and Social Protection
Minister, arrived in Yerevan several days ago.

Azerbaijani ministers arrived in Armenia to get familiar with
conditions of security and stay of Azerbaijani sportsmen during
European judo championship to be held in Yerevan on Sept. 11 to 14.

At the meeting Armenian side was represented by Minister of Sports
and Youth Armen Grigoryan, Razmik Stepanian and president of Judo
Federation Alexsan Avetisyan.

The talks was also attended by President of the European Judo
Federation Sergey Soloveitchik and representative of the European
Olympic Committee Efraim Zinger.

The meting ended with a memorandum under which the Armenia
undertakes to ensure safety of Azerbaijani sportsmen at the European
championships. The sports officials also discussed a number of
organizational issues.

Stepanyan there is no doubt that Armenia will receive all guests
including Azerbaijanis on the highest level.

"The agreement signed points to country’s willingness to hold Youth
Championship of Europe at the highest level. There is no aggressive
attitude in the Armenian society regarding the visit of Azerbaijanis,"
he said.

As to behavior of fans, it is impossible to control any reaction
of audience in a sport. Another thing is that everything will go
according to international rules of the competition, he added.

Azerbaijani Minister immediately after the meeting left for home. The
Azerbaijani delegation of 15 people will arrive in Yerevan on Sept. 9
including five sportsmen and two journalists.

Azerbaijani sportsmen will trip to Armenia for the first time since
the collapse of the Soviet Union.