Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told the NATO International Security Assistance Force ministerial meeting during his official visit to Brussels this week that Azerbaijan as a reliable and committed NATO partner is a potential operational partner for the post-ISAF mission allocated funds and has necessary capabilities to contribute to "train, advise and support" the efforts.

"In fact, we have already started doing that in some areas," Mammadyarov said. "As for the redeployment, let me remind that my country accounted for 35 percent of all non-lethal transit to ISAF and today provides its infrastructure for redeployment with a serious potential to add."

According to the Foreign Ministry, Mammadyarov said that since the last meeting in this format and the recent meeting of defense ministers, "two issues popped up as a priority for us: post-2014 mission in Afghanistan and redeployment."

The minister also said that recently Azerbaijan together with Turkey and Georgia made a presentation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railrway project and new seaports and airports in Azerbaijan at the North Atlantic Council in ISAF format.

"At the same time, we also believe that the presented Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad and a new seaport in Azerbaijan will have a strategic impact beyond redeployment," he said. "They will revive the Silk Road, which has historically been an important element for development and prosperity in the region. Our Afghan friends will be the first to benefit from that. And this is our primary goal."

According to Mammadyarov, the people of Afghanistan are well aware that Azerbaijan remains committed to the common cause not only in this format but also bilaterally and will do its utmost to achieve ultimate success.

The Brussels NATO ISAF Ministerial Meeting decided to form a new NATO mission in lieu of ISAF after 2014, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

The objectives of the new mission will be training, advice and assistance.

Azerbaijan, as a supporter of NATO, and for its significant contribution to the operation of ISAF, was deemed a potential supporter of NATO operations in this mission. Azerbaijan will take part in the planning of the new mission.

So far, only seven countries besides Azerbaijan - Australia, Georgia, New Zealand, Ukraine, Finland, Sweden and Montenegro - have been regarded as potential supporters of the operation.

On the sidelines of the event, Mammadyarov met with British Foreign Secretary William Hague and discussed issues of cooperation in various fields.

The sides expressed satisfaction with bilateral cooperation within the UN Security Council and also discussed current issues on the agenda of the UNSC.

Hague praised the cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, and thanked Azerbaijan for its support in the alliance's special operations in Afghanistan.

After the ministerial, Mammadyarov left on December 5 for Dublin to attend an OSCE ministerial council meeting. He plans to hold a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.

The 19th OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting will be held in Dublin on December 6-7, 2012.