ISSUES OF COOPERATION DISCUSSED BETWEEN DEFENSE MINISTRIES OF
AZERBAIJAN AND ROMANIA

Azer Tag
April 17, 2004, 13:07:57

On April 16, Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, colonel-general Safar
Abiyev has met the ambassador of Romania in Azerbaijan Nikolay Ureke.

As was informed to AzerTAj from the press-service of the Ministry of
Defense, the Minister has congratulated N. Ureke on new appointment
and has wished, that the Azerbaijani-Romanian relations during his
activity as the ambassador had risen on a new level.

Colonel-general S. Abiyev has noted, that the national leader of
Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev and the President of Romania Ion
Iliescu has laid the foundation of the Azerbaijani-Romanian relations,
and now these relations are at a desirable level. Also at a good level
is the Azerbaijani Romanian military cooperation. After visits of the
Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan to Romania and Minister of Defense
of Romania to Azerbaijan this cooperation has even more become
stronger.

Having thanked colonel-general S. Abiyev for warm reception and
congratulations, ambassador N. Ureke has agreed with the idea that
political relations of two states are at a good level. However, the
Ambassador has noted, that our economic links do not correspond the
level of political relations. He told:`The Romanian state already is a
member of the NATO. This membership means the new status for the
Romanian society. Henceforth, Romania more will provide confidently
the national safety. The next desire of people of Romania is
membership of the country in the European Union’.

Having informed then about the stages gone by Romania up to admission
to the NATO, he has told, that to one of primary factors of it was
radical reformsin the Army of Romania.

Ambassador N. Ureke informed Minister of Defense on participation of
divisions of the Armed Forces of Romania in combat against the
international terrorism.

Colonel-general S. Abiyev has congratulated Romanian people and the
state on the occasion of admission of Romania to NATO. He had
comprehensive exchangeof opinions on the existing military-political
situation in region of the Southern Caucasus, the reasons and
sequences of the Armenian -Azerbaijani conflict. The Minister has
noted that having placed on occupied territories of Azerbaijan a
significant amount of military techniques {technical equipment},
weapon and ammunition, Armenia thus breaks the contract `On
conventional armed forces in Europe’. It is serious threat of national
security of Azerbaijanthat creates great danger to realization of
large economic projects. He told:`Azerbaijan opposes terror and
separatism. Azerbaijan participates in antiterrorist
operations. Divisions of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan adequately
carry out and will carry out henceforth the peace-making mission to
Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq ‘.

Then, the parties have discussed questions of cooperation between the
Ministries of Defense of Azerbaijan and Romania.