Azerbaijan, Baku, May 21 / Trend , J.Babayeva/
General John Craddock, Commander of the U.S. European Command, will discuss bilateral and regional security issues with senior Government of Azerbaijan officials.
As the top U.S. military leader in the European theater, General Craddock will express U.S. appreciation for Azerbaijan's solid contributions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, as well as across the horizon of counter-terrorism cooperation. He will also discuss possible areas of continued collaboration, including projects to support the NATO operations on behalf of Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy in Baku said to Trend .
A detachment of peacekeepers and later a peacekeeping battalion was created in the National Army of Azerbaijan in 1997. Some 150 servicemen of the Azerbaijan Armed Forces served in the Multinational Force in Iraq and 34 servicemen in Kosovo. Azerbaijani servicemen to exercise control over 18 villages in Kosovo. Azerbaijani peacekeeping detachment in Kosovo acted within peacekeeping contingent of Turkey. Azerbaijan withdrew its peacemakers from Kosovo after declaration of independence in this country.
In October 2008, the Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted a draft law increasing the number of peacemaking contingent in Afghanistan twice. Ninety Azerbaijani servicemen are serving in the International Forces of Security in favor of Afghanistan. These soldiers carry out patrol service in Kabul.
In early November 2008, Azerbaijan withdrew its military contingent from Iraq due to completion of its mission.