Azerbaijan emerges as key NATO partner, alliance official says

Azerbaijan is among NATO’s most active partners and already plays an important role in the regional security environment, the head of the Alliance’s liaison office in Georgia said. 

Alexander Vinnikov, Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia, said in an interview with APA that Baku makes extensive use of NATO’s partnership tools and has shown consistent interest in deepening cooperation with the Alliance, Caliber.Az reports. 

He said NATO welcomes recent developments in the normalisation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia and supports all constructive efforts aimed at achieving a durable settlement. While noting that NATO is not directly involved in the talks, Vinnikov said the Alliance has consistently supported initiatives by its member states to facilitate conflict resolution.

Vinnikov described the initialling of a peace treaty in Washington on August 8 as an important milestone toward lasting peace and improved regional connectivity. According to him, progress in this direction would not only benefit the two countries but also contribute to broader stability across the Black Sea region.

“This, in turn, will strengthen regional stability and security, and further strengthen the partnerships between individual countries in the region and NATO,” he said.

Looking ahead, Vinnikov said the full potential of Azerbaijan’s role in the regional security architecture depends on sustained efforts toward a comprehensive and mutually acceptable peace agreement. He urged both Baku and Yerevan to move forward with the signing, ratification and full implementation of the treaty.

He added that a finalised peace deal would allow Azerbaijan and other countries in the region to focus more fully on strengthening stability, connectivity and cooperation across the South Caucasus, in line with the principles of cooperative security.

By Sabina Mammadli