Azerbaijan, Russia mull prospects for military-technical co-op in Baku
By Trend
Today, Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Colonel-General Najmeddin Sadikov met with a delegation led by Russian First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Army General Valery Gerasimov, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.
Colonel-General Sadikov said that cooperation between the two countries has been built on relations of friendship, mutual trust and these relations, constantly developing, reached the level of strategic partnership.
Touching upon the military-political situation and security issues in the region, Sadikov stressed that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main threat to regional security.
He stressed the importance of achieving a solution to the conflict based on the norms and principles of international law.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
“The ties of the two countries have historical roots,” Gerasimov said. “Azerbaijan is an important strategic partner of Russia.”
Gerasimov stressed the importance of expanding bilateral relations, as well as military and military-technical cooperation, organizing and conducting mutual meetings at a high level.
Then the sides discussed the current military and military-technical cooperation, prospects for the development of ties in the field of military education and exchanged views on the issues of mutual interest.
Gerasimov expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani leadership for the high hospitality and the organizing of a bilateral meeting with NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti in Baku.
---
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz