U.S. seeking to expand military co-op with Azerbaijan
By Jamila Babayeva
The U.S. is seeking to expand its military cooperation with Azerbaijan.
The U.S. Congress passed in its second reading a bill which proposes the president to expand military cooperation with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
The bill also includes an increase in aid from the U.S. and NATO to the security of these countries.
The bill provides the presentation of the status of U.S. allies to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia without joining NATO.
The document was submitted to the relevant commission for its preparation for the final reading.
Since Azerbaijan's emergence as an independent nation in 1991, the U.S. - Azerbaijan relationship has evolved into a strategic partnership based on mutual interest and common values. At present, Azerbaijan-U.S. relations are developing rapidly.
Azerbaijan and the U.S. extended the agreement on military cooperation for five years in 2013, which is a vivid example of the high level military cooperation between the two countries.
Azerbaijan also supports the international peace keeping operations in Afghanistan. Currently, some 90 Azerbaijani servicemen are serving as part of international forces in Afghanistan.
Azerbaijan is also among the eight partner countries that have confirmed their presence in Afghanistan after 2014.