As is known, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti met Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov in Baku. “Azerbaijan, being a worthy and responsible member of the international community, by hosting meetings in this format, contributes to strengthening of global peace, security and arms control, reducing tensions at the international level and forming strategic dialogue, as well as atmosphere of mutual trust,” said Hajiyev.

He noted that holding meetings between the US and Russian, NATO and Russian military chiefs has already become a tradition since 2017. “Thus, Baku hosted a meeting of US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman with Russian chief of the General Staff in February 2017 and a meeting of chairman of the NATO Military Committee with chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces in September 2017,” Hajiyev said. “As President Ilham Aliyev noted during the reception of NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti, choosing Azerbaijan among many countries to discuss important issues related to global security is a manifestation of respect and trust in Azerbaijan, an indicator of its role in ensuring regional security, development and stability.”

He noted that Azerbaijan and Russia, which are friendly and neighboring countries, enjoy relations of strategic partnership. “Strategic relations between Azerbaijan and the US cover partnership in security, energy and economy,” he said. “Azerbaijan is a reliable and active partner of NATO as part of the PfP program and the agenda of the bilateral cooperation is broad.” “Azerbaijan, in particular Baku, being the 'diplomatic capital' of the region, isn’t only an international arena for the discussion of humanitarian, sustainable development, multiculturalism, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, energy and other issues, but also plays the role of a strategic dialogue platform where global security issues are discussed,” Hikmet Hajiyev underlined.