ARMENIA’S MFA CONDEMNED AZERBAIJAN’S ACTIONS PREVENTING ARMENIAN DELEGATION PARTICIPATION NATO CONFERENCE IN BAKU

Armenian ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement on the measures undertaken by Azerbaijan for preventing the participation of the Armenian delegation in the conference on arranging “Cooperative Best Effort-2004” NATO exercise. “Armenian MFA expresses its deep concern over the fact that January 13, 2004 by the instructions and interference of the Azeri leadership the Armenian defense ministry’s delegation was not allowed to leave Istanbul for Baku to take part in the conference on arranging “Cooperative Best Effort-2204″ NATO exercise”, the document says. RA MFA censures such actions and expresses the opinion that the fact entirely conflicts with the spirit, letter and logic of “Partnership for Peace” NATO program. “This unprecedented step of the Azeri leadership calls into question the realization of the principal goals of the Partnership aimed at the expanding of mutual trust and dialogue between the nations of the North Atlantic region and specifically of the South Caucasian states. Despite the inadmissibility of the measures undertaken by Azerbaijan, Armenia abiding by the principle of establishing a constructive dialogue within the frames of the Partnership will spare no effort for contributing to the development of the regional cooperation. Taking onto account the importance of NATO’s principle and potential to contribute to the cooperation in the region by means of measures conducted within the framework of “Partnership for Peace” program, Armenia expresses hope that the Alliance member-states will demonstrate fundamentality and take corresponding steps for improving the situation”, the RA MFA statement runs.