Yerevan/Mediamax/. NATO Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai didn’t comment on the statement made by Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov on "stagnation” in Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO.

Speaking at the videoconference organized by Information Center on NATO in Armenia for the students of YSU Center for European Studies today, James Appathurai said that the Alliance is in “very good” relations with Azerbaijan and expressed the hope that the new phase of Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) will be soon approved, Mediamax reports.

Trend reports that Araz Azimov stated last week that there is some “stagnation” in cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO. “By holding a narrow political and partial position, a couple of NATO members delay the confirmation of the third phase of the Individual Partnership Action Plan of Azerbaijan with NATO.  The situation ties our hand and foot”, said Azimov. He also noted that “the issue has been dragged out for already several months and Azerbaijan is concerned about it”.

It should be noted that Araz Azimov made this statement at the moment when NATO Deputy Secretary General Hussein Dirioz was on a visit to Baku.