TEHRAN A top diplomat from Azerbaijan Republic yesterday denied a report that Baku has allowed the United States to have a military base in that country, saying this piece of news is a sheer lie. Azeri Ambassador to Iran Abbasali Hasanov, talking to the TEHRAN TIMES said, The President's Military Advisor Nooreddin Sadeqov has been misquoted by the media. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi was also quoted by Persian daily Jomhouri Eslami as saying that So far, we have not received any news about the existence of an American base in Azerbaijan from reliable sources.

But naturally, we will not tolerate the enemy's base on our borders, Asefi said. Meanwhile, on the chances of President Seyed Mohammad Khatami's trip to Azerbaijan, the ambassador said, President Heyedar A. Aliyev has invited President Khatami to visit that country. The date of President Khatami's visit to Baku has not yet been fixed, but his visit will be sometime in 1999, he noted.

On a report of a 45-percent increase in customs duties on the Iranian goods destined for Azerbaijan Republic, Hasanov said, It's another lie and I'm ready to arrange a visit by a reporter to Azerbaijan for an interview with the Customs officials to