Azerbaijan maintains regular political dialogue with NATO and develops political cooperation with the alliance on a wide range of issues to contribute to peace and security in the region and beyond, Anar Mutallimov, deputy head of the Department of Military and Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at the Azerbaijan-NATO event dedicated to studying energy security and climate change issues, Report informs.
"We ensure commitment to respecting political independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of states. Looking back, Azerbaijan has made tremendous progress in achieving goals, and its partnership has evolved into a multifaceted part of relations with NATO. Azerbaijan maintains regular political dialogue with the alliance and develops political cooperation with NATO on a wide range of issues to contribute to peace and security in the region and beyond," said Mutallimov.
The Foreign Ministry representative added that Azerbaijan, as a reliable partner, contributes to NATO operations and reaffirmed the country's commitment to strengthening peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region.
"Azerbaijan's partnership with NATO goes beyond military cooperation and covers a range of issues such as security sector reform, science and environment, humanitarian demining, women, peace and security, as well as public diplomacy and energy security," he said.
Mutallimov also emphasized that cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO has potential for further development.
"New and emerging challenges of various nature require further development of partnership relations and spirit of cooperation. Azerbaijan has long been an energy bridge between East and West, helping to ensure Europe's energy security. Thanks to its energy infrastructure and growing gas potential, Azerbaijan plays an important role in ensuring energy security of the Euro-Atlantic region, especially in current international conditions," he said.
Mutallimov also reminded that Azerbaijan is actively developing renewable energy sources in Karabakh and other regions of the country.
"We demonstrate that we can balance our role as a crucial energy supplier with our climate commitments. This includes work on creating green energy zones and corridors that will become an integral part of future energy interaction in our region," he said.