Tweet
GAMES-ARMENIA VOW TO COMPETE AT EUROPEAN GAMES IN AZERBAIJAN
Reuters
Nov 5 2014
By Julian Linden
(Reuters) - Armenia has agreed to participate in next year's inaugural
European games in Azerbaijan despite the ongoing dispute between the
two countries.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict over the breakaway
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh region for more than two decades.
A ceasefire was called in 1994 after more than 30,000 people were
killed in the fighting but efforts to reach a permanent settlement have
failed despite mediation led by France, Russia and the United States.
With the first European Games scheduled to take place in Baku next
June, European and International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials
travelled to Armenia last month to discuss their participation.
"It's a very tense situation and we had an excellent meeting with our
colleagues in Armenia," Patrick Hickey, the president of the European
Olympic Committee, told reporters on Wednesday.
"They have agreed to participate in the games next year and they will
come to our general assembly in Baku in two weeks' time.
"All the problems were solved."
Hickey, in Bangkok for the Association of National Olympic Committees
(ANOC) general assembly, also said Kosovo was likely to compete as
an independent country.
The IOC last month granted provisional recognition of Kosovo, despite a
protest from Serbia, and will vote next month on whether to recognise
full membership of the IOC. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia
in 2008.
"We will have an additional member by the time the games open next
year and that is Kosovo," Hickey said.
"If the IOC give them full recognition in the Monaco session in
December, well then they will automatically be brought into the
European Olympic family.
"Then that would be their first participation of a multi sports
games." (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/05/games-european-armenia-idUSL4N0SV6RJ20141105
From: Baghdasarian
Reuters
Nov 5 2014
By Julian Linden
(Reuters) - Armenia has agreed to participate in next year's inaugural
European games in Azerbaijan despite the ongoing dispute between the
two countries.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict over the breakaway
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh region for more than two decades.
A ceasefire was called in 1994 after more than 30,000 people were
killed in the fighting but efforts to reach a permanent settlement have
failed despite mediation led by France, Russia and the United States.
With the first European Games scheduled to take place in Baku next
June, European and International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials
travelled to Armenia last month to discuss their participation.
"It's a very tense situation and we had an excellent meeting with our
colleagues in Armenia," Patrick Hickey, the president of the European
Olympic Committee, told reporters on Wednesday.
"They have agreed to participate in the games next year and they will
come to our general assembly in Baku in two weeks' time.
"All the problems were solved."
Hickey, in Bangkok for the Association of National Olympic Committees
(ANOC) general assembly, also said Kosovo was likely to compete as
an independent country.
The IOC last month granted provisional recognition of Kosovo, despite a
protest from Serbia, and will vote next month on whether to recognise
full membership of the IOC. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia
in 2008.
"We will have an additional member by the time the games open next
year and that is Kosovo," Hickey said.
"If the IOC give them full recognition in the Monaco session in
December, well then they will automatically be brought into the
European Olympic family.
"Then that would be their first participation of a multi sports
games." (Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/05/games-european-armenia-idUSL4N0SV6RJ20141105
From: Baghdasarian