Azernews.Az

BRUSSELS – NATO is interested in the resolution of conflicts in the South Caucasus region, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said.

"NATO is interested in resolving regional conflicts and supports political negotiations held in this direction. The alliance's Lisbon summit fixed that the conflicts in the South Caucasus should be resolved in the framework of the territorial integrity of states," Simmons said at the discussions held with the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian public members at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The discussions were held in the framework of the NATO - South Caucasus cooperation in the field of public diplomacy. The event mulled the results of the Lisbon summit held last week, NATO's policy in the South Caucasus, the regional countries' integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, future prospects of the NATO-Russia relations, NATO-led operations in Afghanistan and prospects of the alliance's cooperation with this country.

Simmons said NATO ‘keeps the doors open’ for new members, including Azerbaijan, but NATO's expansion requires not only the Alliance's activities, but also certain steps by new potential members in this direction and mutual cooperation.

NATO cooperates with the South Caucasus states - Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia in accordance with programs of the "Partnership for Peace" and "Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), as well as "Planning and Analysis Process".

The foundation for cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO was laid through the signing of a document within the framework of the Partnership for Peace on May 4, 1994.

Azerbaijan has been cooperating with NATO within IPAP since 2005. The program was originally designed to last two years. Today, bilateral cooperation is held within the second phase of IPAP, which covers 2008-2010.

Those documents define the goals and intentions of NATO's talks with the partner countries on reforms in the defense, security and military policy.

The primary areas of cooperation include the establishment of full democratic control over the armed forces, defense planning and defense budgeting, and the reestablishment of military structures through NATO norms and standards.

Since 1999, Azerbaijani troops have provided support for NATO peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, and since 2002 in Afghanistan.