FRANCE: AZERBAIJAN ITSELF EVADES FROM DEFENCE MINISTRY AGREEMENT LIKE ONE SIGNED WITH ARMENIA

Azerbaijan Business Center
feb 17 2010

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. France has applied Russia’s tactics for
clarification of different-level defence collaboration with Azerbaijan
and Armenia. A reason for that was signing of the French-Armenia
defence co-operation agreement in Paris on 10 February.

The special statement of thre French Embassy in Azerbaijan says that
in accordance with its OSCE Minsk Group co-chair’s position France
attaches importance to maintenance of neutrality in relationships
with Azerbaijan and Armenia and no one point of this document signed
by defence ministers puts this neutrality under doubt.

"Precisely in the spirit of this neutrality France proposes Azerbaijan
to sign a similar document. But the Azerbaijani government has not
given so far official answer to this suggestion that is still in
force," the statement says.

Once, Russia also explained higher level of military co-operation
with Armenia with official Baku’s unwillingness to agree on similar
agreements with the Russian party.

"The document signed with Armenia defines themes of administrative
co-operation between defence bodies. This collaboration concerns ideas
of defence and security, and organization of armed forces (democratic
control over them, commanding, staff administration and management,
military education and language study, public relations, legislation,
military history, tribunal and public health). The document shows
clearly lack of exchange of with classified information and materials
and its goal is specification of content of consultations between
two countries’ defence ministries," the statement says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress