NATO envoy says Azerbaijan reliable partner in South Caucasus

Azerbaijan is a reliable NATO partner in the South Caucasus, a region of strategic importance to the Alliance, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Kevin Hamilton has stated.

During his first official visit to Azerbaijan, he said the partnership between NATO and Azerbaijan encompasses both political dialogue and practical cooperation across a range of areas, including interoperability, defence planning and education, as well as countering hybrid threats, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Hamilton also welcomed further progress in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, describing it as a key factor for regional stability. He praised the pragmatic and constructive approach demonstrated by both countries.

The special representative highlighted Azerbaijan’s longstanding contribution to NATO activities, including Alliance-led missions and operations. He also noted ongoing work to finalize the NATO-Azerbaijan Individual Partnership Programme (IPP).

He stressed that Azerbaijan’s contribution to Europe’s energy security and the support Baku provides to Kyiv are also important aspects of cooperation with the Alliance.

Hamilton met with Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev and Deputy Foreign Ministers Araz Azimov and Elnur Mammadov. Their discussions focused on advancing NATO-Azerbaijan cooperation, regional security issues, and preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov