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AZERI MINISTER, US COUNTERPART DISCUSS DEFENCE TIES
APA, Azerbaijan
Aug 6 2013
Baku, 6 August: Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev is
visiting Washington at the invitation of US Defense Secretary Chuck
Hagel. He first visited the Arlington national cemetery and laid wreath
at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; then he went to the Pentagon.
The Defence Ministry's press service told APA that at the entrance
to the Pentagon, Abiyev was met solemnly by the guard of honour at
the entrance of the Pentagon and Chuck Hagel.
Abiyev touched on various aspects of strategic partnership between
Azerbaijan and the USA and said that practical steps by Azerbaijan
played an especial role in building and developing these ties. The
minister said that positive results have been obtained as the USA
and Azerbaijan carry on with a number of programmes for cooperation
in the defence area. He said that Azerbaijan will continue to make a
contribution to operations in Afghanistan after 2014 and that NATO
has already supported this initiative. Abiyev said that combining
efforts to fight international terrorism and joint participation
in the international coalition's operations provided a solid and
important impetus to strengthening cooperation.
Abiyev pointed out Azerbaijan's efforts in the context of contributing
to the Euro-Atlantic security and said that in this area energy,
transport, communications and other regional projects too turned into
a crucial factor for developing strategic cooperation.
The defence minister talked about the military and political situation
in the South Caucasus region and said that the Azerbaijani territories
have been under occupation for 20 years: "The USA and international
organizations are not making distinctions between the aggressor and the
victim of aggression in the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict on the basis of international legal norms. As a result of
Armenia's policy of aggression, more than 1m people in Azerbaijan
became refugees and displaced persons. It is very regrettable that
to date the international organizations and major powers have not
declared Armenia the aggressor state."
Abiyev emphasized that Section 907 still remains in force and creates
problems in this regard, and that this is incongruent with the US
foreign policy. The minister told his American counterpart that if
the Nagornyy Karabakh is not resolved and Azerbaijani territories
are not liberated, then the generally tense military and political
situation in the region will persist.
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he agreed with Abiyev and that
as a friend of Azerbaijan he will continue to make efforts to develop
and strengthen strategic cooperation.
Later the two men had a wide-ranging discussion of directions for
military and technical cooperation.
Chuck Hagel asked Abiyev to pass his greetings to the Azerbaijani
president.
At the end of the meeting, Abiyev gave to Chuck Hagel an invitation
letter for an official visit to Azerbaijan. Chuck Hagel said he gladly
accepted the offer.
On the same day, Abiyev met US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. The two
men discussed security on the Caspian Sea, the current situation and
prospects for developing cooperation between the two countries' navies.
Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan's ambassador to the USA, took part in
both meetings.
[Translated from Azeri]
APA, Azerbaijan
Aug 6 2013
Baku, 6 August: Azerbaijani Defence Minister Col-Gen Safar Abiyev is
visiting Washington at the invitation of US Defense Secretary Chuck
Hagel. He first visited the Arlington national cemetery and laid wreath
at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; then he went to the Pentagon.
The Defence Ministry's press service told APA that at the entrance
to the Pentagon, Abiyev was met solemnly by the guard of honour at
the entrance of the Pentagon and Chuck Hagel.
Abiyev touched on various aspects of strategic partnership between
Azerbaijan and the USA and said that practical steps by Azerbaijan
played an especial role in building and developing these ties. The
minister said that positive results have been obtained as the USA
and Azerbaijan carry on with a number of programmes for cooperation
in the defence area. He said that Azerbaijan will continue to make a
contribution to operations in Afghanistan after 2014 and that NATO
has already supported this initiative. Abiyev said that combining
efforts to fight international terrorism and joint participation
in the international coalition's operations provided a solid and
important impetus to strengthening cooperation.
Abiyev pointed out Azerbaijan's efforts in the context of contributing
to the Euro-Atlantic security and said that in this area energy,
transport, communications and other regional projects too turned into
a crucial factor for developing strategic cooperation.
The defence minister talked about the military and political situation
in the South Caucasus region and said that the Azerbaijani territories
have been under occupation for 20 years: "The USA and international
organizations are not making distinctions between the aggressor and the
victim of aggression in the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict on the basis of international legal norms. As a result of
Armenia's policy of aggression, more than 1m people in Azerbaijan
became refugees and displaced persons. It is very regrettable that
to date the international organizations and major powers have not
declared Armenia the aggressor state."
Abiyev emphasized that Section 907 still remains in force and creates
problems in this regard, and that this is incongruent with the US
foreign policy. The minister told his American counterpart that if
the Nagornyy Karabakh is not resolved and Azerbaijani territories
are not liberated, then the generally tense military and political
situation in the region will persist.
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said he agreed with Abiyev and that
as a friend of Azerbaijan he will continue to make efforts to develop
and strengthen strategic cooperation.
Later the two men had a wide-ranging discussion of directions for
military and technical cooperation.
Chuck Hagel asked Abiyev to pass his greetings to the Azerbaijani
president.
At the end of the meeting, Abiyev gave to Chuck Hagel an invitation
letter for an official visit to Azerbaijan. Chuck Hagel said he gladly
accepted the offer.
On the same day, Abiyev met US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. The two
men discussed security on the Caspian Sea, the current situation and
prospects for developing cooperation between the two countries' navies.
Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan's ambassador to the USA, took part in
both meetings.
[Translated from Azeri]