NATO admission impossible 'if Azeri interests hurt'
Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has ruled out Azerbaijan's
admission to NATO if it ran counter to the country's interests.
He said the issue depended not only on Baku, as the views of the military alliance itself and other parties should be taken into account.
"After everyone [all sides involved] is ready, Azerbaijan will look into NATO membership. As a matter of fact, we are already doing that," the deputy minister said.
"If we see that membership could facilitate the solution of our potential problems, we will take the step…But if the membership is not in line with our interests, we will not even come close to it," he said, adding that Baku had no intention "to speculate" on the matter.
The NATO coordinator in South Caucasus Zbigniew Rybacki told the opening of the alliance's winter school in Baku on Monday that the admission issue was up to Azerbaijan. He pointed out that the country's cooperation with the alliance, along with other issues, envisioned defense and security reforms.
He said the issue depended not only on Baku, as the views of the military alliance itself and other parties should be taken into account.
"After everyone [all sides involved] is ready, Azerbaijan will look into NATO membership. As a matter of fact, we are already doing that," the deputy minister said.
"If we see that membership could facilitate the solution of our potential problems, we will take the step…But if the membership is not in line with our interests, we will not even come close to it," he said, adding that Baku had no intention "to speculate" on the matter.
The NATO coordinator in South Caucasus Zbigniew Rybacki told the opening of the alliance's winter school in Baku on Monday that the admission issue was up to Azerbaijan. He pointed out that the country's cooperation with the alliance, along with other issues, envisioned defense and security reforms.
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