Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia have discussed prospects of cooperation for ensuring border security, as well as steps aimed at combating any illegal activities in the Caspian Sea.

A trilateral meeting, which has been held in Baku, brought together Chief of Azerbaijan’s State Border Service, Colonel General Elchin Guliyev, Iran’s Border Guard Commander, Qasem Rezaee and Vladimir Kulishov, Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Security Service.

The parties discussed the situation in the Caspian Sea, including work done in combating smuggling, illegal migration, illegal fishing and then expressed readiness to exchange mutual information and experience on the above-mentioned fields.

The cooperation of the border services on combating any illegal activities in the Caspian Sea would contribute to provide border security and stability in the water area of the sea and in adjacent zone, the meeting participants noted.

Moreover, they emphasized the importance of expanding collaboration aimed at resolving the issues arising from implementation of “North-South” international transport corridor project.

Stressing the necessity of holding joint border exercises, the parties highlighted the importance of reciprocal friendship visits of the border guard ships.

Furthermore, they have specified areas of activity for the coming years.

Baku also hosted the bilateral meetings of the border guards. During the meeting, Guliyev and Rezaee stressed the importance of preventing illegal migration and smuggling of illicit narcotics, weapons and ammunition.

The parties further discussed cooperation in connection with construction of the Astara (Azerbaijan) - Astara (Iran) railway within the framework of the "North-South”.

Furthermore, Guliyev met Kulishov to exchange views on the situation on the Azerbaijani-Russian state border checkpoints, as well as in the Caspian Sea.

The parties discussed mutual efforts to combat threats of the border security, as well as practical cooperation on the organization of demarcation.

During the Baku visit, the Iranian and Russian delegates were also received by President Ilham Aliyev received.

At the meeting with Russian Kulishov, President Aliyev stressed the importance of further deepening cooperation, saying that this could help people communicate and engage in trade, ensure entrepreneurs’ unhindered border crossing, and also prevent criminal elements, smugglers, terrorists and illegal drug traffickers.

Kulishov, in turn, said the border services maintained contacts not only at senior management level, but also at the level of experts. He added that this played a vital role in controlling situation on the border, preventing crimes and building a sustainable border security system.

During the meeting with Iranian Rezaee, President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and Iran are jointly addressing international challenges.

The head of the state also emphasized the significance of expanding the coordination of the activity of the two countries’ border services and deepening their cooperation.

Rezaee, for his part, hailed the importance of the high-level reciprocal visits, adding that it would give impetus to the expansion of cooperation between the border services of Azerbaijan and Iran.

Azerbaijani-Iranian border, which runs along the Araz River reaches a little less than 800 km in length, while the border of Azerbaijan with Russia is 390 km long and runs along the Samur River.

Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia are three of five Caspian littoral states; the other two countries are Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

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Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

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