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Azerbaijani Defence Minister convenes meeting of senior military officials to discuss combat readiness

31 August 2016

Azerbaijan's Defence Minister, General Zakir Hasanov on Tuesday (30 August) chaired an enlarged meeting of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry to discuss the combat readiness of the country's armed forces.

According to a report on the website of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence the meeting was attended by deputy defence ministers, commanders of military formations and corps, heads of main departments, departments and services of the ministry, chiefs of staff and other senior officials.

According to the report "the defence minister gave officials further instructions on strengthening the front line defence in areas liberated in the April clashes" as well as a number of logistical and personnel issues.

Commonspace.eu political editor said that "the few hundred hectares of land that were retaken by Azerbaijan during the intensified fighting on the line of contact in the Karabakh conflict zone in April have become of huge psychological importance for both the Armenians and the Azerbaijanis and there is clearly concern in Baku that the Armenians may launch an operation to regain this territory. If this were to happen it is likely fighting will quickly spread to other areas. Over the last few weeks the situation on the line of contact has been reasonably calm as both sides respond to efforts by Russia to move the peace process forward, but only the most optimistic think that this situation can last, unless there is a breakthrough in the negotiations".

source: commonspace.eu

photos 1 and 2: An enlarged meeting of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence Collegium held in Baku on 30 August 2016 (picture courtesy of the press service of the Minisrty of Defence of Azerbaijan).

 

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