Azerbaijan: A partner of America in the war on terror

OPINION:

What country in the world has been the most steadfast, reliable and brave partner of America in the global fight against extremism?

The First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Colonel General Najmeddin Sadikov met with the delegation led by General Petr Pavel, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, on September 7.

Having greeted the guests, Colonel General Sadikov highlighted the successful development of military relations with the North Atlantic Alliance and spoke about military cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, the activities of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces within the framework of various NATO programs, and Azerbaijan’s contribution to the NATO-led non-combat “Resolute Support” mission in Afghanistan.

Colonel General Sadikov especially noted the merits of the national leader Heydar Aliyev and the head of state, Supreme Com- mander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, in establishing fruitful and trusting relations between Azerbaijan and NATO.

“Clearly, the ability to overfly Azerbaijan [and] the ability to use ground transportation through Azerbaijan is obviously important … These are the most effective, the most cost-efficient ways to get supplies to the international coalition in Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan forces themselves.”
— U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates,
June 6, 2010 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Touching upon the military-political situation in the region, Colonel General Sadikov stressed the importance of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the norms of international law. Highly appreciating NATO’s position on supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, the Chief of the General Staff expressed confidence that the Alliance will continue its efforts in this issue.

General Pavel commended Azerbaijan for being a reliable partner of the Alliance and expressed appreciation for the participation of our country in the fight against terrorism, its significant contribution of providing airspace to cargo transportation for peacekeeping operations, and the high level of professionalism of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Afghanistan.

In closing, General Pavel further expressed his deep gratitude to the leadership of Azerbaijan for assistance in holding a bilateral meeting in Baku with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.