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Top Azerbaijan official again defends decision on U.S. upgrade for radars
By AIDA SULTANOVA
.c The Associated Press
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) - Azerbaijan on Friday defended its decision to
accept U.S. help in upgrading two Soviet-era radar installations,
saying the country had the right to guarantee its own security.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov's comments, given during a
news conference with a top Iranian diplomat, appear to be the latest
effort by Azerbaijani officials to assuage suspicions by Iran and
Russia over the upgrade of the two radars - one near the Russian
border and the other near the border with Iran.
Khalafov said that Azerbaijan, like any country, has the right to
cooperate with any nation it wants to cooperate with.
``Every country has the right to choose how it guarantees its own
security and cooperation with other countries. And Azerbaijan will not
base its cooperation on the positions of other countries,'' Khalafov
said.
``Azerbaijan's cooperation with third countries in any sphere is not
directed against its neighbors and does not encroach on their
interests,'' he said.
The U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan said earlier that the radars would
help Azerbaijan fight contraband goods smuggling and criminal
activity, but Azerbaijani defense analysts say the U.S. will likely
use them to listen in on Iranian military activity.
Also speaking at the news conference was Mohsn Baharvand, a top
official with Iran's Foreign Ministry.
``Iran does not object to other countries fighting terrorism, illegal
narcotics business and other types of crimes,'' Baharvand said. ``This
is one of those questions for which ... the sides have a common
position.''
Baharvand was in Baku representing Iran at talks among the five
Caspian littoral states trying to reach final agreement on the inland
sea's legal status.
The Caspian, which is believed to contain the world's third largest
reserves of oil and gas, was governed by treaties between the Soviet
Union and Iran. Since the 1991 Soviet collapse, Russia, Iran,
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have repeatedly failed to
reach a new agreement.
Azerbaijan has stepped up its military cooperation with the United
States in recent years. It is the only predominantly Muslim country
that has contributed troops to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, where
about 150 Azerbaijani soldiers are serving.
The former Soviet republic, which also has contributed troops in
Afghanistan, is seeking U.S. support in modernizing its military and
resolving a territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia.
10/07/05 13:04 EDT
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By AIDA SULTANOVA
.c The Associated Press
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) - Azerbaijan on Friday defended its decision to
accept U.S. help in upgrading two Soviet-era radar installations,
saying the country had the right to guarantee its own security.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov's comments, given during a
news conference with a top Iranian diplomat, appear to be the latest
effort by Azerbaijani officials to assuage suspicions by Iran and
Russia over the upgrade of the two radars - one near the Russian
border and the other near the border with Iran.
Khalafov said that Azerbaijan, like any country, has the right to
cooperate with any nation it wants to cooperate with.
``Every country has the right to choose how it guarantees its own
security and cooperation with other countries. And Azerbaijan will not
base its cooperation on the positions of other countries,'' Khalafov
said.
``Azerbaijan's cooperation with third countries in any sphere is not
directed against its neighbors and does not encroach on their
interests,'' he said.
The U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan said earlier that the radars would
help Azerbaijan fight contraband goods smuggling and criminal
activity, but Azerbaijani defense analysts say the U.S. will likely
use them to listen in on Iranian military activity.
Also speaking at the news conference was Mohsn Baharvand, a top
official with Iran's Foreign Ministry.
``Iran does not object to other countries fighting terrorism, illegal
narcotics business and other types of crimes,'' Baharvand said. ``This
is one of those questions for which ... the sides have a common
position.''
Baharvand was in Baku representing Iran at talks among the five
Caspian littoral states trying to reach final agreement on the inland
sea's legal status.
The Caspian, which is believed to contain the world's third largest
reserves of oil and gas, was governed by treaties between the Soviet
Union and Iran. Since the 1991 Soviet collapse, Russia, Iran,
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have repeatedly failed to
reach a new agreement.
Azerbaijan has stepped up its military cooperation with the United
States in recent years. It is the only predominantly Muslim country
that has contributed troops to the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, where
about 150 Azerbaijani soldiers are serving.
The former Soviet republic, which also has contributed troops in
Afghanistan, is seeking U.S. support in modernizing its military and
resolving a territorial dispute with neighboring Armenia.
10/07/05 13:04 EDT
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress