Baku says not pursuing NATO admission
Azerbaijan is not seeking admission to NATO, Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has said.
``A number of countries sometimes interpret cooperation with NATO as a readiness to enter the alliance. But Azerbaijan is [merely] trying to increase the quality of its relations with the organization through this collaboration,`` Azimov said.
Further, he noted that Baku is ready to renegotiate the guidelines of this cooperation along with NATO experts. ``We have to increase the quality of joint activities within bilateral programs.``
The Azerbaijani capital on Thursday hosted a conference on the defense policy and strategy within NATO`s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, organized by the country`s Foreign Ministry and NATO. Along with representatives of Azerbaijan`s power-wielding agencies, the function was attended by NATO experts and foreign military attaches.
Azimov said in his remarks that, in the present age, NATO should provide security guarantees not only to its members but also partner-states. ``Security in the Euro-Atlantic area hinges on the joint efforts of the member states and partners.``
Jiri Sedivy, NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Defense Policy and Planning and a former Czech Defense Minister, said the developments of the past decade had resulted in altering the alliance`s strategy. Sedivy said a new strategy is now in the making and is to be adopted at the NATO summit in Lisbon in 2010. The document will outline the military bloc`s role in warding off such threats as the spread of weapons of mass destruction, combating terror and piracy, as well as in dealing with cyber-security and energy security, the NATO official said.
Sedivy added that the alliance was also revisiting its policies toward its partners.
``A number of countries sometimes interpret cooperation with NATO as a readiness to enter the alliance. But Azerbaijan is [merely] trying to increase the quality of its relations with the organization through this collaboration,`` Azimov said.
Further, he noted that Baku is ready to renegotiate the guidelines of this cooperation along with NATO experts. ``We have to increase the quality of joint activities within bilateral programs.``
The Azerbaijani capital on Thursday hosted a conference on the defense policy and strategy within NATO`s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, organized by the country`s Foreign Ministry and NATO. Along with representatives of Azerbaijan`s power-wielding agencies, the function was attended by NATO experts and foreign military attaches.
Azimov said in his remarks that, in the present age, NATO should provide security guarantees not only to its members but also partner-states. ``Security in the Euro-Atlantic area hinges on the joint efforts of the member states and partners.``
Jiri Sedivy, NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Defense Policy and Planning and a former Czech Defense Minister, said the developments of the past decade had resulted in altering the alliance`s strategy. Sedivy said a new strategy is now in the making and is to be adopted at the NATO summit in Lisbon in 2010. The document will outline the military bloc`s role in warding off such threats as the spread of weapons of mass destruction, combating terror and piracy, as well as in dealing with cyber-security and energy security, the NATO official said.
Sedivy added that the alliance was also revisiting its policies toward its partners.
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