Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 17
Trend:
Azerbaijan's cooperation with NATO is aimed at deriving the maximum benefit in the construction and strengthening of the army taking into account the preservation of national interests, Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan's permanent representative to NATO, told reporters.
"The country's cooperation with NATO is at a good level," he said. "In their statements, NATO's officials call Azerbaijan as the closest partner of the alliance by citing these relations as an example to other countries."
"Azerbaijan and NATO closely cooperate in the defense sphere," he said. "While taking part in various programs of the alliance, Azerbaijani officers improve their knowledge and experience."
He said that today the Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation is rather new.
"At present, Azerbaijan is contributing to the activity of the organization," he said.
"Azerbaijani servicemen take part in various NATO peacekeeping operations in conflict zones, in particular in Kosovo and Afghanistan," the diplomat said. "Azerbaijan is the only country having no losses during the period of the mission."
The Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation is carried out within the "Partnership for Peace" program. Earlier, NATO adopted a document of the fourth stage of the Individual Partnership Action Plan for 2015-2016.