November 17, 2003 - 23:07 AMT
ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN REFUTED AZERBAIJANI TRADITIONAL STATEMENTS ABOUT "NEIGHBOR'S AGGRESSION"
A sharp debate developed between the Armenian and Azeri delegations in the course of the 22-nd expanded sitting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly (IPA) held in Saint Petersburg November 15. As reported by Arminfo agency, during the discussion of the issue of the struggle against terrorism and other kinds of extremism demonstration, vice-Speaker of Azeri Milli Mejlis Arif Rakhimzade spoke out with the traditional groundless accusations concerning the Armenian delegation, as if representing a terrorist-country whose "agents have never left Azeri people in peace since 1991". In his turn, Armenian delegation member, deputy Gagik Minasian brought a number arguments against such kind of accusations and reminded of the reports by some international organizations about the al-Qaeda's links leading towards Baku. At the same time, the Armenian parliamentarian offered to organize a separate discussion for the clarification of this issue within the framework of the CIS IPA.