Foreign Ministry disappointed by cancellation of NATO exercises in Baku
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 15 2004
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday expressing its
disappointment with the cancellation of NATO’s “Cooperative Best
Effort-2004” exercises.
Azerbaijan regards the exercises as an important step in its
integration into the Euro-Atlantic community and created all the
suitable conditions to hold the exercises, the statement says.
The document also outlines the reasons for the Azeri public’s protest
against the planned visit by Armenian military men to Baku.
“As a result of Armenia’s aggression, 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory
was occupied and more than one million people became refugees and
internally displaced persons. The government of Armenia is taking a
non-constructive position in peace talks. In this case, the Armenian
officers’ participation in military exercises in Baku is impossible,”
the statement says. The statement also expressed Azerbaijan’s adherence
to Euro-Atlantic values and principles, its commitment to cooperation
with the North Atlantic Alliance, and a hope for further development
of long-term and fruitful partnership.*