Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The Azerbaijani defense minister on Thursday discussed issues of military cooperation with a senior US official during her visit to Azerbaijan.

Safar Abiyev hosted a delegation headed by US Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Kathleen Hicks, Trend news agency reported on Thursday, citing the Defense Ministry. The minister stressed the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the U.S. in various fields and discussed the positive results achieved in the area of military cooperation.

Abiyev informed the US official of the military-political situation in the region and the causes of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, saying the unresolved conflict poses a threat to the entire region.

The parties expressed views on the relations in the defense field.

During the meeting, Hicks expressed satisfaction with Azerbaijan's participation in the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan and joint efforts in the fight against terrorism. She stressed that the U.S. intends to continue its strategic cooperation with Azerbaijan on several issues.

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar attended the meeting.

Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov also received the US delegation led by Deputy Under Secretary Hicks, the Foreign Ministry's website said.

Mammadyarov noted with satisfaction the development of Azerbaijan-US relations. He also underlined the importance of continuing energy and security cooperation between the two countries.

Hicks expressed her country's appreciation for Azerbaijan's involvement in the NATO-led
ISAF mission in Afghanistan and its contribution to the success of the mission.

The deputy undersecretary wrapped up her visit to Azerbaijan, the US embassy said Friday, Trend reported. The purpose of the visit was to deepen the strategic partnership between the United States and Azerbaijan. In a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Hicks discussed security relations, including counterterrorism cooperation, energy security, and future initiatives involving air cargo and maritime transit operations.

Hicks expressed her deep gratitude to Azerbaijan for its strong support for the ongoing US and coalition operations in Afghanistan.

The country's support for NATO-led operations is an important area of cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, according to the NATO website. Azerbaijan currently contributes troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.