AZERI AMBASSADOR TO GEORGIA REFUSES ARMENIAN OFFICERS IN ENTRY VISA TO BAKU FOR NATO CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION

The term of providing Armenian officers, who are going to take part in the NATO planning conference on Cooperative Best Effort 2004, with entry visas in Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia expires today. Meanwhile Azeri Ambassador to Georgia Ramiz Gasanov stated in an interview to ANS TV channel that he cannot provide with visa citizens of the country Azerbaijan has no diplomatic relations with. At the same time, Baku media spread the statement by Azeri foreign minister deputy Araz Azimov that impeding the arrival of the Armenian delegation to Baku will lead to the delay of the conference and deterioration of relations with NATO. To note, the conference on planning the NATO exercise within the frames of Partnership for Peace program is scheduled for June 22 in Baku. On June 21 members of the Armenian delegations – colonel Murad Isakhanian and officer of the Department for Foreign Relations of the Armenian defense ministry, senior lieutenant Aram Hovhanissian – are going to receive entry visa to Azerbaijan in the Embassy of this country in Tbilisi.