Baku: In an exclusive interview with APA, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Juraj Blanar, shed light on the burgeoning military-technical cooperation between Slovakia and Azerbaijan. He emphasized the role of a NATO Contact Point Embassy in supporting NATO’s partnership activities, particularly noting the facilitation of visits from NATO Headquarters and the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia. These efforts have been complemented by public diplomacy events organized with Sweden, aimed at promoting NATO-Azerbaijan cooperation.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, Minister Blanar pointed out that Azerbaijan, though not aspiring for NATO membership, remains a crucial partner to the Alliance. Azerbaijan’s contributions to operational missions, like ISAF, are essential in alleviating NATO’s regional mission pressures. The country is keen on aligning with NATO standards through various programs focused on education, capacity building, energy security, combating hybrid warfare, and scientific cooperation.
Minister Blanar highlighted the significant intensification of military-technical and defense cooperation following agreements signed during Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Azerbaijan on May 7 last year. This escalation is marked by frequent high-level visits and working-level expert exchanges, underscoring the practical commitment to the agreements.
The Foreign Minister noted Azerbaijan’s practical experience with specific weapons systems and military equipment that also form part of Slovakia’s armed forces. This commonality paves the way for sharing experiences, best practices, and technical knowledge. Additionally, Azerbaijan’s growing defense industry presents procurement cooperation opportunities that Slovakia is keen to explore.
Slovakia, with its strong defense industry and technical expertise, finds a natural partner in Azerbaijan. The collaboration is mutually beneficial, combining Azerbaijan’s operational experience and defense capabilities with Slovakia’s industrial strengths. There is optimism about further developing this partnership, including joint projects and reciprocal procurement arrangements in the future.