Russia, Azerbaijan to expand military cooperation

Russian and Azerbaijani military authorities will expand their cooperation, including in the area of trainings.

The issue was agreed in Moscow as Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with Minister of the Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, the Russian ministry reported.

Shoigu, addressing the meeting, stated that military departments of Russia and Azerbaijan extend cooperation. It also refers to training of Azerbaijani servicemen and the Russian military educational establishments, he said.

The minister further noted that Russia and Azerbaijan are to extend their cooperation in providing security of the Caspian Region.

“I’m confident that all this will have an important influence on stability in the region,” noted Shoigu.

Shoigu also stated that Azerbaijan was ready to hold the Caspian Cup contest of the International Army Games 2017.

Zakir Hasanov, in tun, said that the Azerbaijani military servicemen took part in the Games with great pleasure.

“I hope that we will organize the contest in territorial waters of Azerbaijan by technical support of the Russian Federation,” stated Hasanov.

Hasanov emphasized that military and military-technical cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia is being held and this meeting will be helpful for both countries.

Later, the Defense Ministers signed a cooperation plan for 2017 between the Ministries of Defense of Azerbaijan and Russia.

Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister is on working visit in Moscow to attend the meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS memberstates. During the visit, Hasanov is expected to meet with defense ministers of several countries.

The cooperation between the Azerbaijani and Russian Armed Forces is at a high level. Azerbaijani and Russian armies systematically implement joint exercises and plan to continue this experience in the future.