"Azerbaijan is an important partner in an important region." NATO welcomes the President of Azerbaijan for talks on regional security and co-operation

President Ilham Aliev of Azerbaijan was yesterday received at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, where he met the Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and later addressed the representatives of the NATO member states gathered in the North Atlantic Council. Welcoming President Aliev the Secretary General said that for NATO "Azerbaijan was an important partner in an important country". The NATO chief welcomed the signing in December of a new Individual Partnership Action Plan with Azerbaijan and thanked the President for his country's contribution to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

President Aliev on his part said that the relations between Azerbaijan  and NATO have a history of success. The President spoke of the reforms being undertaken within the Azerbaijan Armed Forces in  order to bring them to NATO standards and he said that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces had benefitted a lot from their participation in NATO missions throughout the world. On Afghanistan the President said that Azerbaijan was willing to contribute to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund and he also spoke about Azerbaijan's contribution to the training of Afghan diplomats at Azerbaijan's Diplomatic Academy. The Azerbaijani President briefed the NATO leadership on the current state of negotiations on the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and called for a solutiuon of the conflict based on existing United Nations Resolutions.

source: commonspace.eu

photo: President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan shaking hands with General Knud Bartels, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, during his visit to NATO Headquarters on 15 February 2012 (picture courtesy of the NATO Information Service).

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
Stumbling blocks for Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Road to SCO Membership

Stumbling blocks for Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Road to SCO Membership

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, held on August 31–September 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China, brought together leaders of the 10 member states, as well as representatives from over 20 countries and 10 international organisations. The summit resulted in the adoption of the Tianjin Declaration and the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, outlining key directions for cooperation and security. Armenia officially announced its intention to join the SCO on July 3, 2025, emphasising its commitment to the organisation’s core principles, territorial integrity, non-use of force, and inviolability of borders. Azerbaijan submitted its application later, in August. Currently, the process of admitting Armenia and Azerbaijan to the SCO is in the preliminary co-ordination stage, involving the attainment of partner status with the prospect of transitioning to full membership in the future.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
Stumbling blocks for Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Road to SCO Membership

Stumbling blocks for Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Road to SCO Membership

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, held on August 31–September 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China, brought together leaders of the 10 member states, as well as representatives from over 20 countries and 10 international organisations. The summit resulted in the adoption of the Tianjin Declaration and the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, outlining key directions for cooperation and security. Armenia officially announced its intention to join the SCO on July 3, 2025, emphasising its commitment to the organisation’s core principles, territorial integrity, non-use of force, and inviolability of borders. Azerbaijan submitted its application later, in August. Currently, the process of admitting Armenia and Azerbaijan to the SCO is in the preliminary co-ordination stage, involving the attainment of partner status with the prospect of transitioning to full membership in the future.