Azerbaijan, Baku, March 18 / Trend A. Badalova /
Serbia and Azerbaijan should expand the strategic partnership between the two countries, in particular in security sphere, Vladimir Bozovic, State Secretary in the Serbian Interior Ministry said in an interview with Trend in Baku.
"I am here to establish much stronger security cooperation with Azerbaijan, Bozovic said. Serbia is a friend and partner of Azerbaijan in Europe. And we are ready to open all doors for Azerbaijan to reach other Europe through our country".
Bozovic is on his official visit in Azerbaijan to attend International Conference on Civil Defence, which was held in Gabala, on March 12-13. The International conference on 'Civil Defence and preparation of civil societies for disaster risk prevention' was organized by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Emergency Situations in cooperation with the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO).
"During the conference civil defence situation, emergency and global security issues were discussed. We discussed what we can do together to improve the security system for all our citizens and how we can provide the change of information between us," Bozovic said.
Bozovic stressed that during his meetings with Azerbaijani authorities the cooperation on political, as well as economic level was discussed.
With regard to the political issues Bozovic mentioned the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the problem with Kosovo and Metohija.
He said that Azerbaijan and Serbia in this regard have the same problem, and the countries should act jointly to explain the real situation to the countries' international partners in order to help people and protect the human rights of the refugees.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.
Bozovic said that Azerbaijan and Serbia also discussed the cooperation against cybercrime.
"Cybercrime is a new danger and is a very big threat for the future. And we must be prepared for fighting it," Bozovic said.
He stressed that the both parties agreed to establish stronger cooperation and develop it for the interests of the people of both countries.