Azerbaijani Defense Minister meets with Chief of Pakistani Army Staff 

On June 21, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, met with the delegation led by Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who is on an official visit to our country, Report informs, referring to the Defense Ministry.

First, the guests visited the Alley of Shehids (Martyrs), where they laid wreaths and flowers at the graves of the heroic sons of the Motherland, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of the country.

Then, an official welcoming ceremony was held at the Ministry of Defense. The guest passed along the guard of honor, and the national anthems of both countries were played. General Qamar Javed Bajwa signed the "Book of Honor" following the protocol.

During the meeting, the sides expressed satisfaction with the growing friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples and Azerbaijani-Pakistani relations and strategic partnership. The sides also discussed the main areas of international military cooperation between the two countries.

The Minister of Defense noted that under the command of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the Patriotic War ended with a glorious victory of the Azerbaijan Army, and our lands were liberated from the occupation. The Minister gave the guest detailed information on the successful military operations carried out by the Azerbaijan Army and the combat experience gained by our Army in this war.
Expressing satisfaction with the development of Azerbaijani-Pakistani military cooperation, Colonel General Z. Hasanov thanked the leadership and people of Pakistan for supporting the fair position of Azerbaijan at all levels and within the international organizations, as well as for the humanitarian aid and moral support provided to our country.

Noting that friendly relations between the two countries' leaders play a significant role in the development of ties between our states, Colonel General Z. Hasanov stressed the importance of holding such meetings in terms of expanding cooperation.

In his turn, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the victory in the Patriotic War and ensuring the territorial integrity of the country, and wished the mercy of Almighty Allah to the souls of all servicemen and civilians who became Shehid and healing to the wounded.

Noting that there are historically friendly ties between our peoples, General Qamar Javed Bajwa stressed that these relations, as in other spheres, have made a significant contribution to the development of bilateral military cooperation between our countries.

Expressing gratitude for the warm welcome, General Qamar Javed Bajwa once again brought to the attention that Pakistani specialists are ready to get involved in the process of clearance of the liberated territories of mines and unexploded ordnance. The General also noted that there is a wide potential for elevating the military cooperation of the two countries to a qualitatively new level.

During the discussion of cooperation development prospects in the military, military-technical, military-educational, and other spheres, an agreement was reached on the joint use of mountain training centers, mountain training of military personnel, as well as conducting joint exercises.

The sides stressing that military relations meet the interests of both countries noted the necessity to increase efforts in this sphere. The sides also exchanged views on the organization of mutual visits of service members to hold an exchange of experience and a number of other issues.