Military cooperation meets the interests of Azerbaijan and Georgia - expert

Baku/02.10.23/Turan: Today, the Milli Majlis ratified the Azerbaijani-Georgian intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the defense sector. The document is aimed at encouraging cooperation in the military sphere, as well as determining the practical framework of partnership in the implementation of bilateral programs in this area.

The parties agreed to cooperate in the field of military education, conduct joint trainings and exercises, cooperate in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, including within the framework of the NATO program "Program for Partnership", arms control and disarmament.

Azerbaijan and Georgia also intend to cooperate in the civil-military sphere, cybersecurity, military cartography, military medical services, humanitarian demining, etc..

The document was signed in April of this year.

The Georgian Parliament ratified the agreement on June 13.

The head of the Caspian Institute of Military Studies, Jasur Sumerinli, believes that the prospects for military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia correspond to the national security interests of the two countries.

According to him, the two countries have traditionally had military and security cooperation for many years. So, joint exercises, meetings within the framework of NATO, consultations in the field of defense and security are held.

Georgia has more experience in exercises with NATO, an American military training center operates on the territory of this country.

Azerbaijan, for its part, closely cooperates with Turkey.

Both states are striving to bring their countries into line with NATO standards, the expert continued.

In his opinion, Azerbaijan would be interested in Georgia's experience in the field of transparency of the defense budget, public control over the army, anti-corruption measures.

At the same time, Azerbaijan's experience in conducting operational anti-terrorist measures and achieving effective results in a short time would be useful for Georgia.

"Georgia would be interested in this experience, taking into account the solution of the problem of de-occupation of its territories," Sumerinli said.

He also noted the importance of cooperation in the military sphere also from the point of view of ensuring the security of international energy projects. ---03B06---