AZERBAIJAN SAYS IT HAS NOTING TO DO WITH ABSENCE OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION AT NATO CONFERENCE IN BAKU

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Azeri party did not impede participation of Armenian representatives in the Baku conference on planning the NATO "Cooperative Best Effort-2004" exercises, says a statement of Azeri foreign minister Vilayat Guliyev, Interfax agency reported. At that he accentuated that "Azerbaijan is fully entitled to deny Armenia participation in military measures in its territory." V. Guliyev noted an international legal basis, which would provide for Armenia's participation in exercises in the territory of Azerbaijan, was absent "as Armenia has not ratified the Agreement on status of forces in the territory of "Partnership for Peace" NATO program participant states, which is called to regulate legal issues when holding exercises, joint operations and other measures by partner states." At that he stated that the Azeri party is ready to consider the issue of participation of Armenian representatives in exercises to be held in Azerbaijan in September 2004. It should be reminded that yesterday the foreign ministry of Armenia made a statement condemning the actions of Azerbaijan directed to hamper participation of the Armenian delegation in the NATO conference being held in Baku and hoping that the Alliance member states "will display a stand of principle and will undertake corresponding steps to normalize the situation formed."