20 January 2004, 15:46
US State Department disappointed that Armenian delegation was absent from conference in Baku
The US State Department said it was disappointed that an official delegation from the Armenian Ministry of Defense had been unable to attend the initial planning conference for NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) Cooperative Best Effort?2004, the Armenian Assembly of America reported. It should be reminded that the Azerbaijan authorities impeded the arrival of the Armenian military in Baku last week. Faced with Azerbaijan's negative stance, the Armenian Assembly of America has launched a major grassroots campaign to enlist the support of its large constituency and to "alert friends in the US House and Senate." If Azerbaijan does not live up to its commitments and refuses to fulfill its responsibilities as the host country to the September military exercises, then NATO should consider moving the exercises to another host country willing to abide by the premise of PfP, the Armenian Assembly of America stated.
Editors note: See also the articles "Ashot Gulyan: neither Armenia nor Nagorny Karabakh has ever prohibited from participation of Azerbaijan representatives in international meetings".
Source: PanARMENIAN Network News Server
