NATO cancel Azerbaijan exercise after dispute over Armenian officers

AP Worldstream
Sep 13, 2004

NATO canceled military exercises scheduled to start Monday in
Azerbaijan after authorities there objected to the participation of
Armenian officers, alliance officials said.

The two-week peacekeeping maneuvers were to involve small units from
several NATO allies and former Soviet bloc nations included in the
alliance’s “Partnership for Peace” outreach program.

NATO officials said such exercises must be open to troops from all
members of the alliance and its partners.

They said alliance Supreme Commander Gen. James L. Jones canceled the
maneuvers after complaints from Azeri authorities over the planned
participation of Armenian officers.

Tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia remain high after a 1988-1992
war between the Caucasian neighbors, and they still dispute authority
over the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The enclave, located within Azerbaijan, has been under control of
ethnic Armenian forces for more than a decade. A cease-fire was signed
in 1994 after Azerbaijani forces were driven out, but the enclave’s
final status has not been resolved and shooting still breaks out
sporadically along the “line of control” that separates the enclave
from the rest of Azerbaijan.

On Friday, the Azeri parliament adopted a message sent to NATO
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer protesting the inclusion of
Armenian soldiers and warning it could inflame tensions in the region
and harm relations between Azerbaijan and the Atlantic alliance.

President Ilham Aliev also reportedly opposed the inclusion of the
soldiers, and several dozen protesters took to the streets of the
capital, Baku, on Friday.

NATO officials declined to say how many troops were expected to take
part in exercise Cooperative Best Effort 2004, which follows similar
maneuvers held in the last two years in Armenia and Georgia. The
2003 exercises in Armenia involved around 400 troops from 19
nations. Azerbaijan refused to take part.

NATO cancels Azeri war games as Armenian officers refused entry – agency

Mediamax news agency
13 Sep 04

Yerevan, 13 September: The supreme allied commander, Europe, US Gen
James Jones, today decided to cancel the Cooperative Best Effort –
2004 exercises because of the refusal to allow Armenian military
officers entry to Baku, a representative of the headquarters of the
North Atlantic alliance in Brussels has said in a telephone interview
with Mediamax. The exercises were due to start in Baku within the
framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme.

The NATO representative stressed that Gen Jones had decided to cancel
the exercises “because of Azerbaijan’s refusal to issue permission to
Armenian officers, the fundamental principle of conducting exercises
within the framework of the Partnership for Peace programme was
breached and, in accordance with this principle, the exercises have to
be open to all partner countries”. “NATO regrets that this principle
was breached in the organization of the exercises in Azerbaijan,”
the NATO representative told Mediamax.

[Passage omitted: background information]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri pressure group pickets Foreign Ministry over Armenian officers’ visit

ANS TV, Baku
13 Sep 04

Members of the Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO] are holding their
unsanctioned picket outside the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry at the
moment to protest against the [possible] visit by Armenian officers
to Baku within the framework of NATO exercises. The KLO members will
express their protest outside the Defence Ministry tomorrow.

To recap, protest actions are also planned in some districts of
Azerbaijan.

Azeri pressure group welcomes cancellation of NATO war games

Turan news agency
13 Sep 04

Baku, 13 September: The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO)
has welcomed the cancellation of the Cooperative Best Effort 2004
military exercises in Baku.

A KLO statement adopted on this occasion says that the barring
of Armenian officers was the result of the Azerbaijani public’s
uncompromising position.

The KLO welcomes the position of the Azerbaijani authorities and
blames NATO for the situation that has emerged. The organization
believes that the disruption of Armenians’ visit to Baku is “a small
step towards the liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian MP stresses need to expand relations with NATO

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
11 Sep 04

[Presenter] The chairman of the standing parliamentary commission on
defence, national security and internal affairs, Mger Shakhgeldyan, has
aired Armenia’s position in the latest geopolitical developments. He
said that while Armenia is maintaining military relations with Russia
and playing its role in the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO), it is also maintaining relations with NATO whose role has
been increasing considerably in the region.

Shakhgeldyan is sure that Armenia should take part in international
peaceful activities in order not to lag behind political processes
going on in the world.

[Correspondent over video of news conference] Participation in
international peaceful activities is of great importance for Armenia’s
international rating, the chairman of the standing parliamentary
commission on defence, national security and internal affairs, Mger
Shakhgeldyan, said. Our regional neighbours have been involved in
these activities for a long time now. They participate as part of
international military contingents which are implementing peacekeeping
missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo.

[Mger Shakhgeldyan, captioned] If Armenia continues to be on the
sidelines or to be poorly represented in these activities, then it
will be lagging behind the processes in the region. Today there are
three issues: Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Correspondent] Armenian peacekeepers, mainly drivers, doctors and
sappers, will leave for Iraq. They will serve under the Polish command.

[Mger Shakhgeldyan] As for the danger of being taken hostage, I
understand what you mean, this is taking place today in Iraq. The
Armenian unit will be in the most secure area where there will be no
such problem.

[Correspondent] Mger Shakhgeldyan also said that the development
of relations with NATO was also a priority in the Armenian foreign
policy. Apart from military activities, NATO is playing nowadays
an important political role. Armenia’s relations with NATO are
deepening, according to the newly-appointed Armenian ambassador
[to NATO, Samvel Lazarian].

[Mger Shakhgeldyan] NATO is expanding and we have to develop, improve
and strengthen our relations and also maintain our relations with
our military partners.

[Correspondent] Touching upon Armenian officers’ participation in NATO
exercises in Azerbaijan, the chairman of the standing commission noted
that one state could not dictate the rules of its game to other states.

Ayk Ovanisyan, for “Aylur”.

Azeri pundit hails cancellation of NATO war games

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
13 Sep 04

[Presenter] Baku’s ban on the visit of Armenian officers is the
most appropriate step, political analyst Vafa Quluzada has said,
adding that the cancellation of the exercises will not affect
Azerbaijani-NATO relations.

[Correspondent over video of Quluzada] The cancellation of NATO’s
Cooperative Best Effort – 2004 exercises will not have a negative
effect on Azerbaijani-NATO relations, independent political analyst
Vafa Quluzada has concluded. He believes that the North Atlantic
alliance itself is actually responsible for the current development
of the events.

[Vafa Quluzada] Azerbaijan and Armenia are at war and this is obvious
to NATO. However, NATO thought that the Azerbaijani people would
be indifferent to this and they would be able to conduct exercises
here. But the Azerbaijani people and public have demonstrated their
attitude to this event and I think that this protest has played
a significant role. At the same time, the Azerbaijani leadership,
the president took necessary measures.

[Correspondent] Quluzada believes that the latest incident will help
boost Azerbaijan’s image in the eyes of NATO.

[Quluzada] NATO will respect Azerbaijan even more and understand that
the two countries should not be kept in a state of war. NATO enjoys
big powers and can play an important role in putting an end to this
aggression against Azerbaijan immediately.

[Correspondent] The political analyst hails the creation of conditions
for the public to come up with own views, adding that this is also
big support for the authorities.

[Quluzada] If the authorities were against this alone, NATO
would have thought that the authorities did not want to host the
exercises. However, it was demonstrated to NATO that this was the
will of the Azerbaijani people and the Azerbaijanis did not want to
see Armenians on their soil.

[Correspondent] The pundit believes that the exercises have been
simply postponed. He thinks that irrespective of its next venue, it
is inappropriate for Azerbaijani troops to attend the events together
with Armenians.

Rasad Huseynov, Mirtofiq Miralioglu for “Son Xabar”.

Azeri official unhappy about Council of Europe’s requirements on public TV

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
13 Sep 04

[Presenter] The Council of Europe practises double standards in its
treatment of Azerbaijan and Armenia. This manifests itself in the
requirements regarding public television. The head of the public and
political department at the presidential administration, Ali Hasanov,
believes that although Armenian Public TV is of a formal nature,
endless requirements are being imposed on Azerbaijan. However, Hasanov
said that the Council of Europe would fail to conduct an experiment
on Azerbaijan.

[Correspondent over video of Hasanov] Baku will not satisfy the
Council of Europe’s advice to abolish state television, the head of the
public and political department at the presidential administration,
Ali Hasanov, said. He believes that a new bill on public TV drafted
by a working group has taken into consideration all recommendations
of the Council of Europe.

[Hasanov] Regrettably, after the second appraisal, the Council of
Europe came up with completely different recommendations and advice
than those given after the first one, i.e. the working group does
not understand what the Council of Europe wants.

[Correspondent] Therefore, Council of Europe experts have been invited
to our country to debate the bill. The experts will be visiting
Azerbaijan from 16 to 18 September. One of the main points that Baku
is interested in is that although state television exists in former
Soviet republics and in many European countries, why the Council of
Europe demands that precisely Azerbaijan abolish state television.

[Hasanov] I should say frankly that the Council of Europe wants us to
be a guinea pig. Many of Azerbaijan’s neighbours have state television,
they exist and operate. There are even countries where several state
television channels operate. For example, in Turkey there is TRT 1,
TRT 2, TRT 3, TRT 4, and TRT International. Moreover, recently Star
TV was purchased by the Turkish government. Russia has several state
channels, so do Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

[Correspondent] Ali Hasanov added that the Council of Europe experts
in conversation with him had acknowledged that it was the first time
they had demanded that a country abolish state television and set
up public television instead. However, the government of Azerbaijan
believes that the Council of Europe has no authority to come up with
this kind of a demand.

[Hasanov] The issue of abolishing state television is not the subject
matter of this bill, this is not in the authority of the Council of
Europe experts and, in general, is not in the powers of the Council
of Europe. It is up to the president to preserve or abolish it.

[Correspondent] Hasanov also added that irrespective of the outcome
of the upcoming talks with the experts, the working group’s bill will
be sent to the parliament to be debated.

Rasad Huseynov, Mirtofiq Miralioglu for “Son Xabar”.

Azeri leader off to Tajikistan

MPA news agency
13 Sep 04

Baku, 13 September: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev left for
Dushanbe today to attend a summit of the Economic Cooperation
Organization.

A source from the presidential administration has told MPA that issues
of developing economic, political and cultural relations between the
two countries will be discussed with Tajik President Emomali Rahmonov.

Tomorrow (14 September), President Aliyev will leave for Astana to take
part in a CIS summit. A trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Russian
and Armenian presidents and a bilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents attended by the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk
Group are expected to take place in the capital of Kazakhstan.

On 22 September, the Azerbaijani leader will travel to New York to
attend a session of the UN General Assembly where he is also expected
to make a speech. The Azerbaijani president will be received by US
President George Bush and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Cancellation of NATO drills Azeri people’s success – TV

ANS TV, Baku
13 Sep 04

NATO has postponed the military exercises that were due to start in
Baku on 14 September, a representative of NATO’s information centre
in Baku, Vaqif Dastgahli, has told ANS.

He said the information would be confirmed officially.

Armenian officers were invited to attend the military exercises within
the framework of NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme. In fact,
the invitation angered the Azerbaijani public a lot.

Thus, the Azerbaijani public led by the president has managed to
protect our state independence. This was not the first time in our
latest history when our independence had been endangered by the now
failed NATO event. History shows that the young Azerbaijani state has
faced and may still face more trials like that. What happened has
also demonstrated that the Azerbaijani people and their government
can be together at most critical moments.

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers invited to NATO office in Brussels – agency

Turan news agency
13 Sep 04

Baku, 13 September: According to diplomatic sources, the Azerbaijani
and Armenian foreign ministers, Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanyan,
have been invited to the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The two ministers were invited urgently for consultations over the
participation of Armenian officers in NATO’s Cooperative Best Effort
2004 military exercises [in Baku].

Judging by the fact that NATO has cancelled the exercises, the sides
have failed to agree on the Armenians’ visit to Baku.

Armenian sources, in turn, have reported that five Armenian officers
spent all day at the Azerbaijani embassy in Georgia yesterday trying
to obtain visas to Azerbaijan. However, they had to return to Yerevan
without the visas.