ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 30 2004
Azerbaijan to open its military office in Russia soon
BAKU, April 30 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijan will open its military
office in Russia in a few days time, Azerbaijani Defence Minister
Safar Abiyev said in Baku on Friday at a meeting with Russian
Ambassador Nikolai Ryabov and new Russian military attaché, Rear
Admiral Vladimir Lomakin.
Abiyev noted `traditionally good relations between the two countries
and a high level of intergovernmental cooperation.’
`Azerbaijani-Russian relations have historic traditions; we have
always tried to preserve them,’ he said.
The defence minister also pointed to Russia’s `great opportunities’
as a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk group on the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.
`Azerbaijan pins great hopes on Russia in resolving this problem,’
Abiyev said.
At the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for the development
of cooperation between the two countries’ defence ministries and
exchanged views on a military and political situation in North
Caucasus, a source at the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry’s press
service said.