Defense Minister meets Head of Oklahoma National Guard

The Minister said Azerbaijan - U.S. military cooperation is already of strategic character.

"The foundation for this cooperation was laid during the official visit by national leader Heydar Aliyev to Washington, D.C. in July of 1997," he said.

Colonel-General Abiyev continued that the Azerbaijan- U.S. military cooperation enhanced after the waiver of the section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.

He said: "Azerbaijan continues to succeed in bilateral cooperation with the North-Atlantic alliance. We highly value the role of USA in development of this cooperation. Azeri troops are actively involved in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq."

The Minister described the current military and political situation in the South Caucasus as extremely tense.

"Solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh has not yet been found. Activity of the OSCE Minsk group dealing with the problem is unsatisfactory. We want the conflict to be settled on the basis of the international legal norms and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and demand withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories," he said. The Colonel-General called Armenia’s behavior as inadequate to the current state of affairs.

"Given the existing situation, Azerbaijan has to take adequate steps," he said.

Major General Harry Wyatt praised Azerbaijan's involvement in the fight against global terror that, he added will be more active with the country growing economy.

The General welcomed cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO under the Individual Partnership Plan, and the country intention to be a democratic and secular state.

Touching on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, General Wyatt confirmed that the U.S. has been supporting territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and wants it to be resolved in diplomatic way.

The sides also exchange views on the prospects of the Azerbaijan-US military y cooperation.

The meeting was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse, AzerTAg reports.