Baku states that it bears no relation with the fact that Armenia has not received the invitation to "Cooperative Best Effort-2004" to be held in the territory of Azerbaijan within the framework of "Partnership for Peace" NATO program. As Azeri member of defense ministry press office Ilgar Veriyev told Echo Baku newspaper, the invitation to such measures is being issued by the supreme NATO leadership. At the same time he noted that there is still much time left for the beginning of the exercise and it is not ruled out that Armenia will be invited. "Azeri defense minister has no right to interfere in the NATO leadership's activity and exert influence on decision making", - I. Verdiyev added. Meanwhile, an informed source in the Azeri defense minister told Echo newspaper that Baku in the person of vice-speaker Ziyafet Askerov at the official level has time and again expressed its discontent that Armenian soldiers wish to take part in the coming exercise. To note, earlier deputy to the Armenian defense minister Artur Aghabekian noted that if Azerbaijan protests against the participation of Armenian soldiers in the NATO maneuvers in its territory, the question of holding the exercise in another country may arouse.