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Baku hosts conference â€œNATO â€“ an Alliance of Full Political Maturityâ€

09 April 2009 11:30 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Rashad Suleymanovâ€“APA. A conference titled â€œNATO â€“ an Alliance of Full Political Maturityâ€ was held in Baku. Addressing the conference, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said Baku held military-political reforms as an active partner of NATO and Azerbaijan was a pilot country in the field of border security, APA reports. The deputy minister said Azerbaijan had plans of extending its cooperation with NATO. â€œWe are reviewing certain opportunities to take active part in NATO civilian and military operations. Recently the assistance to Afghanistan was discussed. Azerbaijan is also reviewing amendments to the Partnership for Peace Program. It will be within the NATO interests. NATO must set face toward the Islamic worldâ€.
Romanian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolae Ureku read out the address of Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Cristian Diaconescu, who couldnâ€™t join the meeting. The minister said Romania, as a coordinator country, would support Azerbaijanâ€™s integration into the Euro-Atlantic space. â€œWe will develop cooperation in two directions: food and water security programs within the NATO Scientific Program and cooperation with the Euro-Atlantic centers in Baku and Ganja.

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Jean Francois Bureau said the alliance highly appreciated the Azerbaijanâ€™s contribution to NATO operations. He said it needed to specify new spheres for extension of cooperation within Peace for Partnership Program. â€œWe are discussing the perspective fields of cooperation with Azerbaijan. Today Azerbaijan becomes the NATOâ€™s second large partner in the scientific sphereâ€.

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse noted that by strengthening of cooperation with NATO, Azerbaijan is carrying out the process of security, democracy, defense modernization and reforms. â€œAzerbaijan takes the number of commitments within the Individual Partnership Action Plan and successfully fulfills itâ€.

Official of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Daniel Ionitz said his country would share its experience in the process of NATO membership with Azerbaijan.