Azerbaijan continues to help Afghanistan

Azerbaijan will continue to help Afghanistan, said Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov as he met with Afghan Ambassador to Azerbaijan Muhammad Taghi Khalili.

He added that peace and stability are possible in Afghanistan.

Azimov also recalled the meeting in Kabul, noting that the meetings held there were very fruitful.

Khalili, in turn, said that solidarity in the positions of Azerbaijan and Afghanistan in the international arena is of great importance.

In addition, the meeting discussed the issue related to the organization of the conference of the foreign ministers of the initiative "The Heart of Asia - the Istanbul Process" and other regional issues in Baku this December.

Azerbaijan supports the Afghan way of reforms by its assistance in the areas of education, infrastructure and transport development, investments and enhancing the role of women in the society.

The country has several times made substantial donations to the Afghan National Army (ANA) Trust Fund.

The peacekeeping contingent of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces has been serving in Afghanistan since November 20, 2002. Azerbaijan, as a reliable partner of NATO and friend of brotherly Afghanistan, is committed to continue its significant contribution to the Resolute Support Mission by providing troops, multimodal transit, training and financial assistance.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan allowed the NATO planes carrying non-combat loads for a mission in Afghanistan to fly through Azerbaijan's airspace and to use the country's airports. About 40 percent of all cargo destined for the NATO mission in Afghanistan pass through Baku.