BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 26. An official reception and photo exhibition dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Azerbaijan-NATO partnership and the 106th anniversary of the establishment of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan were held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, TurkicWorld reports.
The event, organized by the Azerbaijani Mission to NATO, began with the performance of the country's national anthem.
It was attended by the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, the Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, high-ranking officials of the Alliance's International Staff, International Military Staff, NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), NATO Support and Procurement Agency, as well as ambassadors from NATO member and partner countries, military representatives, and members of the diplomatic corps.
The official reception speaker, the Head of Azerbaijani Mission to NATO Jafar Huseynzade, briefed on the historical contributions of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in building the army and developing the partnership with the Alliance.
The mission head pointed out that for a state that faced a complex political situation and a violation of its territorial integrity and sovereignty in the early years after restoring its independence, establishing a partnership with NATO was one of the important decisions in its foreign and security policy.
Huseynzade also emphasized that, thanks to the successful continuation of the visionary policy of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the country has one of the strongest armies in the world.
Furthermore, the mission head noted that, as a result of President Ilham Aliyev's wise, rational, and far-sighted foreign policy, Azerbaijan has fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty and ended separatism on its territory.
As Huseynzade stressed, Azerbaijan eliminated the main threat to regional stability by resolving the 30-year conflict and initiating the normalization process with Armenia, creating conditions for transforming the South Caucasus into a stable and prosperous region and serving as a clear example of the country's commitment to sustainable peace in the region, which is also important for Euro-Atlantic security.
Highlighting the intensified high-level dialogue with the Alliance over the past few years, the head of the representation noted that President Ilham Aliyev's visit to NATO headquarters in December 2021 gave new impetus to the partnership.
Huseynzade emphasized that Azerbaijan is developing high-level political dialogue and practical cooperation on many issues of mutual interest with NATO and noted opportunities for cooperation with the Alliance, especially in energy security, green energy exports, climate change, and COP29.
The military representative of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces to the NATO Military Committee, Colonel Aghaverdi Guliyev, spoke about the establishment and development of Azerbaijan's Armed Forces and stressed that both significant anniversaries are proof of Azerbaijan's commitment to peace and security both nationally and internationally.
NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Javier Colomina, and Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Lieutenant General Andrew Rollings, also delivered speeches.
The Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General called the signing of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) Framework Document by the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev 30 years ago a historic step, laying the foundation for the partnership between Azerbaijan and NATO.
"Since then, strong ties of political dialogue and practical cooperation have been established between the Alliance and Azerbaijan," Colomina said, reminding the visit of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to Baku on March 17–18 this year as one of the bright examples.
Colomina highlighted that Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of the Alliance and drew attention to existing cooperation opportunities between Azerbaijan and NATO in various areas, particularly in energy security and climate change.
Rollings informed the event participants that Azerbaijan is active in practical cooperation with the Alliance.
He also noted that Allied countries highly value Azerbaijan's support and contribution to NATO's peacekeeping operations, especially the critical evacuation from Kabul Airport in Afghanistan.
Rollings emphasized Azerbaijan's contribution within the framework of cooperation with NATO's Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Center (EADRCC) and highlighted NATO's high appreciation of Azerbaijan's humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
A photo exhibition reflecting the 30-year ties of Azerbaijan with the Alliance was organized at NATO headquarters.
The exhibition featured photographs showcasing the significant contributions of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev to the partnership with the Alliance, President Ilham Aliyev's visit to NATO headquarters, the NATO Secretary General's visit to Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan's contributions to NATO operations.
The exhibition was met with interest by the participants.
