US, Azerbajan launching new stage of military co-op

Visiting US official not ruling out possible anti-terror operations in breakaway Garabagh

US and Azerbaijan are opening up a new stage of military cooperation, as the visiting US defense delegation focused on a working plan of cooperation in Baku last week.

Also interesting is that the head of the US mission Mira Ricardel didn’t rule out the possibility of joint US-Azeri anti-terror operations in Garabagh, the breakaway region of Azerbaijan in an interview with journalists.

The US-Azeri military cooperation will span three key areas, involving enhancing regional security, strengthening fleet and offshore security, permanent airspace control and its conformity with Nato standards.

It also aimed to secure the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline intended to carry Caspian crude to international markets and establish commercial and transport corridors in the region.

Programs for personnel raising and exchange of technical experts are expected to be held by the European Command of the US Armed Forces.

A delegation of the US Defense Department was led by spokesperson for the US deputy defense secretary for Eurasian security policy Mira Ricardel. She heads the US-Azerbaijan consultation group.

During the two-day visit, the US military held bilateral consultations on defense issues and meetings with Azeri President, Defense Minister and Foreign Ministry officials.

Bilateral consultations on Wednesday and Thursday at the Defense Ministry ended with signing of a joint statement.

Military cooperation between the US and Azerbaijan was launched in 1997 following signing of a joint statement by President Aliyev and the then Defense Secretary William Cohen, but a real impetus was given after the visit of the US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld to Baku following the September 11.

Hope for strategic partnership

Azeri Defense minister, Colonel General Safar Abiyev in a Wednesday meeting with M. Ricardel voiced his hope that Azeri-US military cooperation could convert into strategic partnership in the Caucasus.

"The cooperation has stepped into a new stage with the suspension of Section 907 to the Freedom Support Act".

The US official thanking the Azerbaijan leadership for the support for the US anti-terror operations following the September 11, highly appreciated the prospects of bilateral military collaboration.

"We are entering a new stage of US-Azeri military cooperation. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the US Congress are pinning great hopes on collaboration with the Caucasus nations, especially Azerbaijan. The cooperation will hopefully be long lasting".

‘New opportunities

opened up’

In a news conference held Thursday on completion of two-day defense talks Mrs. Ricardel stressed the US imparts special attention to the territorial integrity, national security and sovereignty of Azerbaijan and supports Aliyev-Kocharian talks targeting settlement of the Garabagh conflict.

"The Baku talks have opened up new opportunities for joint defense", she said, adding that the US has allotted $4.4 million for Azerbaijan.

Asked about the difference between US-Azeri and US-Armenian cooperation, she said in Armenia the cooperation would cover military training, communications and peace capacity enhancement.

Anti-terror operations feasible

On the possible anti-terrorism operations with US involvement in Azerbaijan similar to Georgia, Mrs. Ricardel said that the US had been cooperating with Georgia in the military sphere for over 5 years, while the cooperation is just taking shape with Azerbaijan. Thus, the US official didn’t exclude the possibility of joint US-Azeri anti-terror operations in Garabagh.

Not hurting other countries

Military cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States shouldn't disturb the regional countries, in particular Iran and Russia, chief of the President's Office International Relations Department Novruz Mammadov said at the headquarters of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party Friday.

The cooperation is not against any country, he pointed out.