New format for defense cooperation to appear in region
By Sara Rajabova
Baku, Ankara and Tbilisi have stepped up efforts to establish a new format of cooperation for ensuring the security of the region.
The defense ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia met in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR) and discussed the military-political situation in the region.
The meeting that was held following the recent escalation of tensions on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops was important in terms of taking measures to stabilize the situation in the region.
During the trilateral meeting on August 19, Zakir Hasanov, Ismet Yilmaz and Irakli Alasania reached an agreement to hold joint military exercises in the future to increase the combat capability of the armed forces of three countries and the security of oil and gas pipelines in the region.
Taking a decision on holding the trilateral exercises for the protection of oil and gas pipelines is an important issue not only for the three countries, but also for Europe.
The defense ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia also agreed to hold similar meetings in this format twice a year, to organize joint seminars and conferences, to establish a tripartite format for military education and cooperation in the military-technical sphere.
The experts' meetings are planned to be organized to examine the promising areas of cooperation.
This new format is expected to pave the way for strengthening military strength, professionalism of armies and capacity of the military equipment in these countries. It will also limit the destabilizing actions of some powers in the region.
Thus, the meeting raised the eyebrow of Armenia. The meeting of Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian defense ministers was widely discussed in the Armenian media.
Armenia, which has kept Azerbaijani territories under occupation over 20 years, isn't happy with its sidelining from regional cooperation as fails taking advantages of great opportunities in the region. However, Armenia should realize that it is the only side which must be blamed for the isolation of the country in the region.
During the two-day meeting, the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian defense ministers visited the Heydar Aliyev Museum, the alley of martyrs and a religious place called 'Ashabi-Kahf' in Nakhchivan on August 18.
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Hasanov also held bilateral meetings with his Georgian and Turkish counterparts.
Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Vasif Talibov also met with Georgian and Turkish defense ministers.
He hailed cooperation of Azerbaijan`s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with Turkey and Georgia in various fields, particularly education, health, economy and transport, stressing the importance of expanding relations between the three countries both within international organizations and in a bilateral format.