Azernews.Az

By Vugar Khalilov

NATO is conducting a counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) training course at Azerbaijan’s War College, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported on February 8.

The course is being held by NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Mobile Training Team located in Brunssum (The Netherlands) under the Individual Partnership Cooperation Program for 2022 signed between the Defence Ministry and the organization, the report added.

"During the course, listeners were given briefings on a variety of topics related to joint activities during NATO's C-IED measures. There was an exchange of ideas on the topic, as well as practical group work," the ministry said.

The training program will run until February 11.

Relations with NATO started in 1992 when Azerbaijan joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. This forum for dialogue was succeeded in 1997 by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which brings together all Allies and partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Bilateral cooperation began when Azerbaijan joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme in 1994. Thanks to regular participation in PfP activities, Azerbaijan has been able to contribute actively to Euro-Atlantic security by supporting NATO-led peace-support operations.

Azerbaijan’s participation in the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) since 1997 has allowed NATO and individual Allies to assist Azerbaijan in developing selected units to improve interoperability with those of the Allies.

NATO and Azerbaijan started work on a jointly agreed Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) in 2008 to integrate NATO standards into the teaching methodologies and curricula of the country’s Professional Military Education (PME) institutions.

In 2018, Azerbaijan asked NATO to also involve the Military High School, a pre-commissioning school, in DEEP.

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