Azerbaijan, Georgia mull pipeline security

Georgia is second to the US to hold military consultations with Azerbaijan in the run-up to the Baku-Ceyhan

Azerbaijan and Georgia have launched consultations to ensure security and effective performance of the Eurasian Transport Corridor, particularly the security of oil and gas pipelines in the region.

For this purpose, Georgian defense minister, Lieutenant General David Tevzadze paid an official visit to Baku Monday on the invitation of his Azeri counterpart Colonel General Safar Abiyev.

The consultations started in the run-up to the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Main Export Pipeline, which is expected to get underway soon.

Following the talks, the Azeri and Georgian defense ministers signed a protocol Tuesday covering security issues in the region, combat against terrorism, army building and development of military cooperation.

The ministers focused on the importance of cooperation in ensuring security and effective operation of the Eurasian transport corridor, coordination of efforts, affirming devotion to closer cooperation within the framework of the GUUAM.

The necessity of military collaboration to provide security of oil and gas pipelines, as well as to hold bilateral and multilateral training to guard them was underlined.

The ministers agreed to set up bilateral expert groups to determine fields of cooperation. The group is expected to work out an agreement on bilateral military cooperation and programs of bilateral cooperation of defense ministries before July of this year.

It was agreed to hold the next meeting in Georgia in November of this year.

The defense ministers stated Azerbaijan and Georgia, governed by the national interests, the geography in the region and historically good neighborly relations, imparts greater attention to the development of close bilateral military cooperation.

Int’l co-op in focus

The two agreed that the September 11 attacks in the US last year showed that international terrorism is taking more and more dangerous proportions and its prevention remains an urgent challenge.

They called to unite efforts to combat against terrorism, aggressive separatism and criminal extremism.

The parties noted the progress in integration into Euro-Atlantic security entities, saying an important factor for the development of the two countries' armed forces is cooperation with Nato. They especially indicated active participation in multinational training and other undertakings within the framework of Nato's "Partnership for Peace" program and success of mutual activities of sub-units in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo.

The defense chiefs considered useful the exchange of views on various fields of military cooperation, including air defense and personnel raising for armed forces.

The visit will last till April 11.