Azerbaijan, Baku, September 4 / Trend J. Babayeva /
Azerbaijani judokas will be completely protected in the Youth European Championship to be held in Yerevan on September 9-14.
"Armenian security service will ensure safety of Azerbaijani sportsmen. Sportsmen will be placed in convenient hotels. Turkish and Israeli teams will be also placed in this hotel. The Israeli side will also ensure safety of Israeli team. Our sportsmen will be fully protected," Minister of Youth and Sport Azad Rahimov said at a press-conference on September 4.
The agreement on security of Azerbaijani sportsmen was signed between Azerbaijani and Armenian Ministers of Youth and Sport, Azad Rahimov and Armen Grigoryan, Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents of Judo Federation, Fizuli Alekperov and Alexan Avetisyan, as well as members of the European Judo Federation and the Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committee during the visit of Azerbaijani Minister of Youth and Sport to Yerevan.
The agreement stipulates that Armenia must bear the responsibility for the security of Azerbaijani sportsmen from the moment of their entry till their departure from Armenia, and to ensure they can get in communication and attend training.
The document said that during the Championship the Azerbaijani flag must be among the flags of other countries. If an Azerbaijani sportsman wins, the Azerbaijani state flag will be raised and the national anthem will be performed. All participants of the championship will stand while listening to the anthem. Armenia must also ensure free participation in the championships for journalists accredited by the International Olympic Committee and provide free access to the Internet.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7 districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
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