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What the Papers Say Part B (Russia)
October 20, 2006 Friday
NATO SETTLES IN THE CAUCASUS;
NATO claims that Russia haad better learn to live with it
: Sohbet Mamedov
NATO functionaries and delegations in Azerbaijan; NATO officials are
frequent guests in Baku, Azerbaijan these days. On his visit to Baku,
President Trajan Besescu of Romania offered assistance in promoting
Azerbaijan's integration into the European Union and NATO.
NATO officials are frequent guests in Baku, Azerbaijan these days. On
his visit to Baku, President Trajan Besescu of Romania offered
assistance in promoting Azerbaijan's integration into the European
Union and NATO. His visit was followed by that of Robert Simmons,
NATO Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Caucasus and Central
Asia. A delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly headed by Vahid
Erdem turned up in Baku earlier this week. Erdem met with the Azeri
foreign and defense ministers.
Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedjarov, in a brief statement for the media,
described the level of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation as high.
Asked if Baku planned "an intensive dialogue with NATO (like
Tbilisi)," Mamedjarov replied that the matter was "too delicate"
to be rushed. Defense Minister Safar Abiyev briefed Erdem on the
military-political situation in the southern part of the Caucasus.
The impression was, however, that Erdem was more interested in the
structure of the Azeri Armed Forces, their budget, and nature of
cooperation with NATO.
This conclusion was drawn by some participants of the meeting between
the visiting delegation on the one hand and representatives of the
national parliament and non-governmental organizations on the other.
The meeting was mostly centered around military cooperation between
Azerbaijan and NATO, human rights, democratization of society, and war
on corruption. Neither was Russia's attitude towards NATO's interests
in the southern part of the Caucasus was forgotten. "Russia takes part
in our peacekeeping programs. NATO includes a permanent committee for
Russia. There are contacts between NATO and Russia at the levels of
their heads, foreign and defense ministers, and parliaments. It will
therefore be wrong to speak of any serious objections on Russia's part
to the rapprochement between NATO and countries of the southern part
of the Caucasus," Erdem said. "And yet, Russia is not going to like it
in the least. It will certainly react to the even closer rapprochement
between countries of the southern part of the Caucasus and NATO. Still,
Moscow learned to live with membership of the Baltic states in NATO. I
don't think that there are any problems with that nowadays. I'd
say that an even closer rapprochement between the countries of the
southern part of the Caucasus and NATO is possible, particularly
since the process of mutual integration will be quite long."
Erdem added that Armenia, as close as it was with Russia, did not
"ignore NATO. There are politicians in this country who wish for
closer relations with NATO." "Observations show, however, that Armenia
is more interested in the European Union. It doesn't view NATO as a
close partner," Erdem said.
Some analysts say that NATO needs to be present in the region and
that frequent visits of its representatives study the position of
the population (that of Azerbaijan included).
Erdem said that results of the meetings in Azerbaijan this week
would be mentioned in the final report "NATO's Role in the Southern
Caucasus."
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 20, 2006, p. 6
Translated by A. Ignatkin
What the Papers Say Part B (Russia)
October 20, 2006 Friday
NATO SETTLES IN THE CAUCASUS;
NATO claims that Russia haad better learn to live with it
: Sohbet Mamedov
NATO functionaries and delegations in Azerbaijan; NATO officials are
frequent guests in Baku, Azerbaijan these days. On his visit to Baku,
President Trajan Besescu of Romania offered assistance in promoting
Azerbaijan's integration into the European Union and NATO.
NATO officials are frequent guests in Baku, Azerbaijan these days. On
his visit to Baku, President Trajan Besescu of Romania offered
assistance in promoting Azerbaijan's integration into the European
Union and NATO. His visit was followed by that of Robert Simmons,
NATO Secretary General's Special Envoy for the Caucasus and Central
Asia. A delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly headed by Vahid
Erdem turned up in Baku earlier this week. Erdem met with the Azeri
foreign and defense ministers.
Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedjarov, in a brief statement for the media,
described the level of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation as high.
Asked if Baku planned "an intensive dialogue with NATO (like
Tbilisi)," Mamedjarov replied that the matter was "too delicate"
to be rushed. Defense Minister Safar Abiyev briefed Erdem on the
military-political situation in the southern part of the Caucasus.
The impression was, however, that Erdem was more interested in the
structure of the Azeri Armed Forces, their budget, and nature of
cooperation with NATO.
This conclusion was drawn by some participants of the meeting between
the visiting delegation on the one hand and representatives of the
national parliament and non-governmental organizations on the other.
The meeting was mostly centered around military cooperation between
Azerbaijan and NATO, human rights, democratization of society, and war
on corruption. Neither was Russia's attitude towards NATO's interests
in the southern part of the Caucasus was forgotten. "Russia takes part
in our peacekeeping programs. NATO includes a permanent committee for
Russia. There are contacts between NATO and Russia at the levels of
their heads, foreign and defense ministers, and parliaments. It will
therefore be wrong to speak of any serious objections on Russia's part
to the rapprochement between NATO and countries of the southern part
of the Caucasus," Erdem said. "And yet, Russia is not going to like it
in the least. It will certainly react to the even closer rapprochement
between countries of the southern part of the Caucasus and NATO. Still,
Moscow learned to live with membership of the Baltic states in NATO. I
don't think that there are any problems with that nowadays. I'd
say that an even closer rapprochement between the countries of the
southern part of the Caucasus and NATO is possible, particularly
since the process of mutual integration will be quite long."
Erdem added that Armenia, as close as it was with Russia, did not
"ignore NATO. There are politicians in this country who wish for
closer relations with NATO." "Observations show, however, that Armenia
is more interested in the European Union. It doesn't view NATO as a
close partner," Erdem said.
Some analysts say that NATO needs to be present in the region and
that frequent visits of its representatives study the position of
the population (that of Azerbaijan included).
Erdem said that results of the meetings in Azerbaijan this week
would be mentioned in the final report "NATO's Role in the Southern
Caucasus."
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 20, 2006, p. 6
Translated by A. Ignatkin