The two radio location stations (RLS) constructing in Azerbaijan under the support of the USA are destined for strengthening of the frontier control in the country, Trend reports citing Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, as stating in Washington.
In reply to the question for what purpose Americans construct new RLS, Mammadyarov answered that the stations were not constructed by Americans, but by Azerbaijanis. These are our radio location stations. There must be some misunderstanding in the issue, he added. According to Mammadyarov, these stations are a part of the program on guarding of the Azerbaijan state borders. The Minister explained that necessary of strengthening of frontier control evolved after USSR collapsed. Now we are an independent country and must do it ourselves, including, protect our sector of the Caspian Sea. Certainly, we cooperate with the USA in this context, he stressed. The Minister confirmed Baku received specialized equipment from Washington within such interaction. He noted the all equipment would remain at the disposal of Azerbaijan.
Mammadyarov underlined that the project on construction of new radars did not directly concern ensuring of safety of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and development of energy resources of the country. We cooperate in ensuring of safety of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and have some program in this regard. Nevertheless, they are in the general context of the struggle with terrorism, as well as measures on defense of oil platforms, as main amounts of oil is extracted from off-shore fields. The experience, which may be gained as a result of the cooperation, is interest to us. They [Americans] share it with us, he stated.
Touching upon the military cooperation with the USA, he called it sufficient good. The interaction in this sphere helps us to reform our army in accordance with modern requirements and reply to risks and challenges in the region. In this point of view we cooperate with the USA very actively, the Azerbaijani diplomat told ITAR-TASS.