Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defence, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, has met with a delegation led by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Defence.

At the official welcoming ceremony hosted by Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry, J. Stoltenberg passed along the guard of honour and signed the "Book of Honour" in accordance with the protocol.

Colonel General Z. Hasanov welcomed the delegation and expressed his satisfaction with seeing them in Azerbaijan.

The Minister thanked NATO for supporting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan during the 30-year occupation and the current period.

The delegation was given detailed information about the reforms carried out in the Azerbaijan Army in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev, as well as mine clearance, restoration, and construction works in the liberated territories and the current situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional border.

The Minister of Defence spoke about the success achieved in cooperation with NATO and noted the importance of further developing mutual relations.

The Secretary General expressed his gratitude for the hospitality and highly appreciated the professionalism of the servicemen of the Azerbaijan Army in peacekeeping missions and their activities in other areas within the framework of partnership with NATO. He emphasised that the close cooperation of the Azerbaijan Army with the Turkish Armed Forces will make a significant contribution to Azerbaijan-NATO relations.

The sides also discussed prospects for development in cybersecurity and mine clearance, as well as other areas of bilateral military relations, and exchanged views on regional security and other issues of common interest.