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Armenian servicemen pleased with visit to Baku-hosted NATO conference
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
26 Jun 04
[Presenter] Armenian military officers who returned from Azerbaijan
announced today that the incident which took place during NATO's
Cooperative Best Effort-2004 planning conference in Baku was directed
not against Armenia but against Azerbaijan's international
image. Azerbaijan also understood that if the Armenian officers were
not allowed to Baku or something happened to them, the international
community would not forgive it this time. The incident that took place
during the conference was not unexpected for the Armenian officers.
[Correspondent over video of press conference and Azerbaijani entry
visas in the Armenian officers' passports] This is the historic
document which allowed the Armenian officers to arrive in the
Azerbaijani capital. Col Murad Isakhanyan and senior Lt Aram Ovanesyan
crossed the Georgian-Azerbaijani border without any problems in
accordance with an agreement reached in Kiev. Representatives of the
Azerbaijani Defence Ministry met the Armenian officers at Heydar
Aliyev airport and suggested taking them on an excursion.
[Col Murad Isakhanyan, captioned] They showed us the same day all the
changes which they had made.
[Correspondent] The Armenian delegation was accommodated at Hotel
Europe where the NATO member-countries' delegations were staying. That
was the end of the peaceful life. Activists of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization led by Akif Nagi managed to get into the hotel's security
area and entered the conference hall.
[Murad Isakhanyan] This disturbance was directed against us. We were
quiet. We had been aware of this possibility since 22 December. Our
security service officers collected everything from the table and put
into my bag. Our Mr Ovanesyan jumped up immediately and grabbed our
flag and hid it under his clothes. They were looking for Armenians.
[Correspondent over video of protest in Baku] The incident was not
unexpected for the Armenian officers. This is understandable. Before
leaving for Baku they were ready for everything. The Armenian Defence
Ministry immediately recalled its delegation from Baku. A
representative of the NATO Command, Charles Lee, said that everyone
who wished could leave Baku immediately. Representatives of some
member-countries also said that they were ready to leave Baku in case
the Armenian delegation left Baku.
[Murad Isakhanyan] This incident, i.e. when the leadership and
representatives of NATO's 19 member-countries were sitting in the
conference room and they burst into it and smashed everything in their
way, damaged Azerbaijan's international image in the first place. I
told them that I expected this when I came here and knew that this
could happen.
[Corespondent] The Armenian officers did not leave Baku. The
conference completed its three working days. The Armenian officers
used this opportunity to speak to not only high-ranking military
officials of Azerbaijan but also ordinary people.
[Murad Isakhanyan] Everyone shook hands and spoke to us. Nobody
reminded us of Karabakh or land problems.
[Correspondent] The incident has not affected the Armenian officers'
intention to participate in future programmes, especially in the
exercises which will be held [in Azerbaijan] in September. The NATO
Command has announced that they will not limit the number of Armenian
officers who can take part in the forthcoming NATO exercises.
Tereza Kasyan, "Aylur".
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
26 Jun 04
[Presenter] Armenian military officers who returned from Azerbaijan
announced today that the incident which took place during NATO's
Cooperative Best Effort-2004 planning conference in Baku was directed
not against Armenia but against Azerbaijan's international
image. Azerbaijan also understood that if the Armenian officers were
not allowed to Baku or something happened to them, the international
community would not forgive it this time. The incident that took place
during the conference was not unexpected for the Armenian officers.
[Correspondent over video of press conference and Azerbaijani entry
visas in the Armenian officers' passports] This is the historic
document which allowed the Armenian officers to arrive in the
Azerbaijani capital. Col Murad Isakhanyan and senior Lt Aram Ovanesyan
crossed the Georgian-Azerbaijani border without any problems in
accordance with an agreement reached in Kiev. Representatives of the
Azerbaijani Defence Ministry met the Armenian officers at Heydar
Aliyev airport and suggested taking them on an excursion.
[Col Murad Isakhanyan, captioned] They showed us the same day all the
changes which they had made.
[Correspondent] The Armenian delegation was accommodated at Hotel
Europe where the NATO member-countries' delegations were staying. That
was the end of the peaceful life. Activists of the Karabakh Liberation
Organization led by Akif Nagi managed to get into the hotel's security
area and entered the conference hall.
[Murad Isakhanyan] This disturbance was directed against us. We were
quiet. We had been aware of this possibility since 22 December. Our
security service officers collected everything from the table and put
into my bag. Our Mr Ovanesyan jumped up immediately and grabbed our
flag and hid it under his clothes. They were looking for Armenians.
[Correspondent over video of protest in Baku] The incident was not
unexpected for the Armenian officers. This is understandable. Before
leaving for Baku they were ready for everything. The Armenian Defence
Ministry immediately recalled its delegation from Baku. A
representative of the NATO Command, Charles Lee, said that everyone
who wished could leave Baku immediately. Representatives of some
member-countries also said that they were ready to leave Baku in case
the Armenian delegation left Baku.
[Murad Isakhanyan] This incident, i.e. when the leadership and
representatives of NATO's 19 member-countries were sitting in the
conference room and they burst into it and smashed everything in their
way, damaged Azerbaijan's international image in the first place. I
told them that I expected this when I came here and knew that this
could happen.
[Corespondent] The Armenian officers did not leave Baku. The
conference completed its three working days. The Armenian officers
used this opportunity to speak to not only high-ranking military
officials of Azerbaijan but also ordinary people.
[Murad Isakhanyan] Everyone shook hands and spoke to us. Nobody
reminded us of Karabakh or land problems.
[Correspondent] The incident has not affected the Armenian officers'
intention to participate in future programmes, especially in the
exercises which will be held [in Azerbaijan] in September. The NATO
Command has announced that they will not limit the number of Armenian
officers who can take part in the forthcoming NATO exercises.
Tereza Kasyan, "Aylur".