U.S. expert: Azerbaijan has secured environment for NATO-Russia dialogue [EXCLUSIVE]

5 December 2019 16:13 (UTC+04:00)

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By Abdul Kerimkhanov

Azerbaijan has secured environment for a dialogue between North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia, Peter M. Tase, Scholar of International Affairs and author of various books on Azerbaijani Studies and Latin American Politics, said in an interview with Azernews.

Tase said that NATO-Russia Meeting of Military leadership in Baku, is a testimony to Azerbaijan's strategic relations with the U.S., and Baku's proactive relations with Moscow.

Azerbaijan’s capital Baku has hosted meetings between NATO and Russian generals, three years in a row.

"While Russia and China are rapidly developing their cyberwarfare capabilities, the bilateral meetings of Military Generals of Russia, NATO (and the U.S.) are of great importance, this dialogue will further contribute towards effective cooperation between both parties," he stated.

Tase stressed that the meeting will help ease the tension in the global stage and help define the impetus of direction for great power competition that exists between Washington DC and Moscow.

"Baku is hosting this bilateral meeting as part of its contributions to preserve regional peace and bolster transcontinental security and a healthy national economic growth," Tase stressed.

Another reason, he added, why Baku hosted the meeting of military leaders of NATO and Russian Army Generals is the fact that Azerbaijani generals are highly trained in tactical readiness and are ready to promote tactical competency and swiftly take actions to handle regional uncalculated risks.

"A secure environment for such a dialogue is paramount," he emphasized.

As for the current situation in the Azerbaijani army, Tase said the biggest country of Caucasus has one of the strongest armed forces and well-trained army engineers in the world.

"Azerbaijan Air Force is ready to be equipped, has well-trained personnel, to welcome Boeing KC-46 and acquire Long Range Hypersonic Weapons. Under the Leadership of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the country is not letting the noise of others' opinion to drown its impressive economic performance and strengthening of its Armed Forces. The diplomacy and national defence strategy of Azerbaijan and visionary statecraft of President Aliyev, continue to increasingly resonate against Armenia's turmoil in the region and are softening international backdrop of geopolitical pressure and conflict," he concluded.

A meeting was held in Baku between Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach on November 26, 2019.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94