Azerbaijan, Baku, 25 June / Trend corr S. Agayeva/ As a result of implementation of a project jointly with NATO, a rocket fuel component melange which remained in Azerbaijan from Soviet Army has been eliminated.
"1,200 tons of melange was eliminated at the plants which were constructed in Alat settlement and Mingachevir city within the project," Jean-Francois Bureau, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, said at the meeting at Azerbaijani National Academy of Science.
"Implementation of the project is a proof for good cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO. NATO plans to implement a range of projects in Azerbaijan to solve technical problems, to monitor transboundary rivers and the Caspian Sea," Bureau said.
Rocket oxidant melange is a mixture of nitric acid and chemical components. It used to be added to rocket propellant in 50-60s of 20th century. Melange is applied in production of mineral fertilizers and military industry.
Azerbaijan has been cooperating with NATO since 1994 within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program and is actively implementing military reforms to switch to NATO standards.
The foundation for cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO was laid by signing a program-document within the framework of the Partnership for Peace on 4 May 1994. Azerbaijan was the first amongst the 27 OSCE member countries to join the program. In April 1996, an official document envisaging concrete directions in cooperation was signed under the Partnership for Peace program. Now, through the program Azerbaijan is fulfilling about 50 tasks.
Experts think Azerbaijan will be the next after Georgia and Ukraine to nominate for NATO membership.
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