The NATO assessment team is in Baku to watch the process of Baku's meeting commitments in the framework of the Individual Partnership Action Plan. As reported by Zerkalo (Mirror) newspaper with a reference to diplomatic sources, the leaders of the organization have been persuading Azerbaijan to issue accession bid to NATO for the recent 6 months, however in vain. The mission was entrusted to NATO Secretary General Personal Representative for the South Caucasus Robert Simmons, who paid a visit to Azerbaijan in October 2006. Nevertheless, Upon completion of his visit to Baku Simmons did not even conceal he failed to clarify the NATO-Azerbaijan relations on whole scope of substantial issues. "I am hopeful that during the visit to Brussels Azeri President Ilham Aliyev will be furnished irrefragable answers to all his questions," said Simmons at that time.

In early November Ilham Aliyev visited Brussels and was reported to have held efficient talks with NATO and EU leadership. However, Azerbaijan has not issued an accession bid to NATO, which seems to abide by the slogan "there is no time to be lost." To all appearance NATO representatives decided to operate out in the open. "As we already said Azerbaijan is not engaged in accession talks. We efficiently cooperate within the IPAP that is sufficient for present time," said a NATO official on Azerbaijan adding that the republic doesn't wish to enter the next stage of cooperation yet.