MAMEDYAROV REFUTES THE INFORMATION CONCERNING BREEDING IMPEDIMENTS TO AZERBAIJAN'S COOPERATION WITH EU

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2005

In the course of the press conference conducted on October 30 Azeri
FM Elmar Mamedyarov stated there were no obstacles to Azerbaijan's
cooperation with the European Union (EU), Trend reports.

When commenting on "the EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus Heikkie Talvitie's statement on braking the program "Enlarged
Europe: New Neighbors" in the South Caucasus in connection with Cyprus'
stand towards Azerbaijan circulated by Armenian mass media" Azeri
FM said "there have been no statements on breeding impediments to
Azerbaijan - EU cooperation in the context of the present realities".

It is strange that Azeri FM refers to Armenian mass media, as the
information concerning the fact that Republic of Cyprus has vetoed
Azerbaijan's candidature and blocked Baku's participation in the
program titled "Enlarged Europe: New Neighbors" has been spread by
Day.Az Azeri agency.

To note, in the course of the press conference in Yerevan the EU
Special Representative for the South Caucasus Heikkie Talvitie
stated consultations between the South Caucasus and the EU, which
were to start in early September, had been postponed for early
October because of differences between Azerbaijan and one of the
EU countries. According to Talvitie, unless the issue referring
to Azerbaijan is settled they will begin cooperating with Armenia
and Georgia.