WILL THE ARMENIAN SOLDIER REACH APSHERON?Armenia is ready to take part in the military maneuvers held in Azerbaijan. The commanders of the North-Atlantic Alliance are satisfied with the results of the ''Cooperative Best Effort-2003'' military maneuvers held in the end of June in Armenia. It was the first time when the NATO's ''Partnership for Peace'' program's trainings were being held in Armenia. In total there were 400 military men from 19 countries including Turkey participating in the maneuvers. July 2, 2003 PanARMENIAN.Net - Last year similar trainings were held in Georgia. The trainings of 2004 are supposed to be held in Azerbaijan. This means that already in autumn the Armenian Defense Ministry will receive from Brussels the official invitation to participate in the upcoming trainings. The political leadership of the country has to decide whether to send representatives to Baku, or not. The Colonel Murad Isakhanyan who was authorized by the NATO commandership to command the ''Cooperative Best Effort 2003'' trainings, said recently that there were no reasons for Armenia to refuse the participation in the upcoming maneuvers. Defense Minister of Armenian Serzh Sarkisian stressed that Armenia had to be ready to participate in any program of NATO. The Azerbaijanis are not very happy to have the Armenians as guests. In Baku they have already started to discuss the issue whether to accept the Armenian troops or no. But as it has agreed the maneuvers to be held in Azerbaijan, they have no way to prevent the participation of Armenia. Head of the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan Ramiz Melikov said recently that he did not rule out the possibility of Armenia's participation as the trainings are being held under the aegis of NATO. For the first time after the Karabakh war the population of Karabakh will have to deal with armed Armenians. Though this time the weapons of Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers will be directed to the same target. These feelings are familiar for the Armenians though the Armenians had no problems in Yerevan to obey the orders of Turkish commander during the recent maneuvers. The trainings were being commanded together by Murad Isakhanyan and Turkish colonel Ahmed Kabak. The NATO leadership gave the command to representatives of countries that had problems with each other. The matter was to prove that despite all the problems the cooperation is possible. If this principle is applied during the preparations to the next maneuvers, the commanding will be carried out by Armenia and Azerbaijan. And then the Azerbaijani soldiers will have to obey the orders of an Armenian commander and the Armenian soldiers – of Azerbaijani commander. And this is what causes the concern of the Baku nationalists. Most popular in the section Who is who in the web of so many Sargsyans Controversy in quotations Split of opposition votes There will be no ideal solution More articles in this section 6 simple facts about Armenia–Karabakh–Azerbaijan triangle Everything you need to know Main arguments of Armenia’s first President Next Karabakh proposals will be even worse Bizarre election promises Church taxation and restoration of monasteries in Western Armenia | EU to provide budgetary support to Armenia The agreement is aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the educational system of Armenia. Aliyev: No peace treaty unless Armenia changes constitution Azerbaijan will not sign a peace treaty with Armenia unless the latter changes its constitution, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said. Azerbaijan proposes Armenia to jointly seek cancelation of Minak Group The Azerbaijani President maintained that the move will show “how sincere Armenia is.” Seven injured in massive gas station explosion in Armenia The Investigative Committee of Armenia has unveiled details about a massive explosion at a gas station on the Yerevan-Sevan highway. |