Baku: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received a NATO delegation on November 6, APA reports. The delegation comprised permanent representatives from several NATO member countries including Trkiye, Greece, Hungary, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Portugal, and Spain, along with deputy permanent representatives from the United States and France.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Basat -ztrk, Turkish Permanent Representative to NATO, highlighted the significance of President Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with the NATO delegation, recalling the Azerbaijani President’s previous visits to NATO headquarters. The Turkish representative noted that the foundation of Azerbaijan’s current development phase was established by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, and under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, Azerbaijan has strengthened across various sectors.
During the meeting, the delegation extended their congratulations to President Aliyev for the achievements made in Washington regarding the advancement of the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia. President Aliyev expressed his gratitude and acknowledged the special role of U.S. President Donald Trump in these efforts, stating that the agreements reached provide extensive opportunities for regional development.
President Aliyev recalled his visits to NATO headquarters, emphasizing that while support for operations in Afghanistan is a key component of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation, the agenda also includes collaboration in areas such as regional development and energy security. He noted that the Azerbaijani Army has been aligned with NATO standards and underscored the importance of working closely with the Turkish army.
Highlighting Azerbaijan’s independence achievements, President Aliyev stated that the primary objective of liberating its lands from occupation has been realized, and the process of modernizing the country’s army will continue. He expressed optimism about the success of the NATO delegation’s visit to Azerbaijan.
The conversation further underscored Azerbaijan’s value as a NATO partner, with emphasis on Azerbaijani peacekeepers being the last to leave Afghanistan. The contributions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the Resolute Support operation and Azerbaijan’s role as a regional transport and logistics hub were acknowledged.
The meeting also focused on the strong strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and NATO members, noting Azerbaijan’s active participation in NATO’s programs since 1994 under the Partnership for Peace initiative. Discussions also covered prospects for future Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation and an exchange of views on regional and global issues.