May 20, 2005 - 12:54 AMT
BAKU ACCUSES ARMENIA AND RUSSIA OF DESTABILIZATION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
"Armenia is the source of destabilization in the South Caucasus", Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov stated at Security and Stability in the South Caucasus NATO international conference that opened Friday in Baku. "While Azerbaijan is making a great contribution to the development of the region exporting energy sources and Georgia is providing transit possibilities, Armenia is engaged in exporting instability", Azimov stated. The Deputy Minister noted that with its aggressive policy towards the neighbor states Armenia has isolated itself from the global regional processes and the attitude of the Euroatlantic organizations towards Armenia should differ from the policy towards Azerbaijan and Georgia. He also noted that Russia's policy in the South Caucasus "does not always have a positive influence upon the regional situation". "I think that the consolidation of the NATO-Russia relations can lead to geopolitical changes in the region", the diplomat said. To note, experts from the US, Romania, Georgia, Russia and other states are taking part in the NATO conference.