BAKU: 1st Vice-Speaker Meets NATO Rep On South Caucasus And CentralA

FIRST VICE-SPEAKER MEETS NATO REP ON SOUTH CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
Author: J. Shahverdiyev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006

The first vice-speaker of Milli Mejlis, head of the Azerbaijani
parliamentary assembly in NATO, Ziyafet Askerov met with the
representative of the NATO general secretary on South Caucasus and
Central Asia, Robert Simons, the parliament press-release told Trend.

Askerov told that after signing the Partnership for peace program
in 1994 relations between Azerbaijan and NATO are developing
dynamically. Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation with the
alliance. It actively participates in the anti-terrorism struggle
and its soldiers participate in the peacekeeping missions in Kosovo,
Iraq and Afghanistan.

He also mentioned the Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict. Stressing that
the aggressive policy of Armenia is dangerous not only for Azerbaijan
but for the region in general.

Simons in his turn expressed his interest in developing relations
with Azerbaijan and noted that NATO is watching over the democratic
progress in the country.