Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan plans to increase its help to Afghanistan in combating drugs and the insurgency, and will offer assistance in building local infrastructure, Pakistan's The Frontier Post newspaper quoted Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov as saying, according to the Baku-based Trend news agency.

"Regarding the details of our aid, we will consider the priorities first. We will cooperate in fighting the insurgency and drugs, and investments in the sectors of energy and road construction," Azimov said at a press conference in Afghanistan.

In turn, Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said Afghanistan recently opened an embassy in Azerbaijan, which is a sign of strengthening diplomatic ties between the two countries.

"To strengthen political relations, we opened an embassy in the Baku city of Azerbaijan," Ludin said.

According to the Afghan Foreign Ministry, Azerbaijan has donated $2 million in the security sector in recent years.

Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul said during his visit to Baku in late 2012 that Afghanistan and Azerbaijan have agreed on opening their embassies in each country.

Rassoul said his country was interested in promoting bilateral relations with Azerbaijan.

"Afghanistan supports Azerbaijan's position in the international arena on all the issues and intends to adhere to this position further," he said.

Azerbaijan closely cooperates with NATO-led operations in Afghanistan. Since 2002, Azerbaijan has been contributing troops to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and gradually increased its forces to about 95 personnel.

An infantry company, deminers, medical assistants and staff from Azerbaijan are serving alongside NATO forces, as part of a Turkish contingent, in ISAF. Azerbaijan also contributes to the NATO-ANA (Afghan National Army) Trust Fund.

ISAF is a NATO-led international military contingent operating in Afghanistan since 2001.

According to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov's speech at the NATO ISAF ministerial meeting in December 2012, Azerbaijan as a reliable and committed NATO partner is a potential operational partner for the post-ISAF mission allocated funds and has the necessary capabilities to contribute to training, advising and supporting the efforts.

Mammadyarov also noted that the new Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project implemented at present in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey and a new seaport in Azerbaijan will revive the Silk Road, which has historically been an important element for the development and prosperity in the region.

"Our Afghan friends will be the first to benefit from that. And this is our primary goal," the minister said.

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.