Azernews.Az

US Transportation Commander, Gen. William Fraser has held talks with Azerbaijani leaders in Baku focusing on issues that included anti-terror combat, bilateral cooperation and international peacekeeping operations.

In a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on Monday, Fraser said he was paying his first visit to Azerbaijan after his appointment to the position.

On Azerbaijan’s contribution to the fight against international terrorism, the head of the US Transportation Command praised the country’s role in providing transport for the international peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.

President Aliyev stressed the importance of Fraser’s visit for the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan has been involved in the peacekeeping contingent in Afghanistan from the very beginning. US-Azerbaijani humanitarian cooperation as part of this mission is gradually expanding, he said.

During Fraser’s talks with President Aliyev, the parties also exchanged views on Azerbaijan and the United States’ joint efforts in combating international terrorism, in ensuring security, as well as further cooperation in the energy sector and other fields.

During the US official’s meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, discussions focused on the existing strategic partnership between the two countries, cooperation prospects and Azerbaijan’s contribution to the peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, the Foreign Ministry said.

Mammadyarov said restoring peace and stability in the post-war country was important for Baku.

Fraser also had a meeting with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, which centered on the situation in the region and prospects for expanding Azerbaijani-US military and political relations. Anti-terror operations and the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh were high on the agenda of the meeting as well.