Moscow hosts SCO, CIS defence ministers meeting

Defence ministers of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) met in the Russian capital Moscow on December 9.

Maj-Gen Huseyn Mahmudov, head of the International Military Cooperation Department of the Defence Ministry represented Azerbaijan at the meeting, Caliber.Az reports with reference to the ministry.

Speaking at the meeting, Mahmudov gave a detailed account of the crimes committed by Armenia against Azerbaijan over 30 years. He said ensuring security on the territories freed from the occupation and carrying out reconstruction works there is one of the main duties of the Azerbaijani government.

It was also noted that the progress of reconstruction activities on the liberated territories is slowed down by mines planted by Armenian military units. It was brought to the participants' attention that from the end of the conflict until now, 268 Azerbaijanis have been killed and wounded as a reult of landmine explosions.