Serbia and Azerbaijan ink defense sector agreement

Serbia and Azerbaijan ink defense sector agreement

"We are already cooperating with Azerbaijan in construction industry but there is still a lot of room for improvement of cooperation and this is a major opportunity which the two countries need to use to their advantage," Nikolić said, according to his press service.

Nikolić added that Serbia "has a large number of experts in many areas who have already proven their value abroad and as a developing economy, Azerbaijan is an ideal partner for the realization of future joint projects which would bring benefits to the citizens in both countries."

Hasanov expressed a great interest in bilateral cooperation in defense industry, said the statement.

He communicated to Nikolić the greetings of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and sincere congratulations over Serbia's Statehood Day observed on February 15.

Defense agreement

On Monday, Hasanov and his Serbian counterpart, Nebojša Rodić, signed a defense sector cooperation agreement.

The two ministers expressed satisfaction about good relations between the two countries further improving.

Rodić pointed out that the agreement is creating a formal and legal framework to further improve military and economic, military and educational and military and medical cooperation between the two countries.

The Serbian minister said that the visit by the Azerbaijani official and signing of the document is a result of development of good and friendly relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan, “particularly after the signing of the Declaration on friendly relations and strategic partnership between the two countries, signed by presidents Tomislav Nikolić and Ilham Aliyev in Baku in February last year.”

Rodić said that military cooperation between the two countries is also improving through joint participation in military exercises, announcing the National Army of Azerbaijan taking part in a Viking 14 exercise and in an international Platinum Wolf 14 at Base South near Bujanovac before the end of the year.

He thanked Hasanov for his country's "firm and principled support for Serbia's legitimate struggle to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija."

Zaharov said that military cooperation between the two countries is very important and that it will further improve thanks to the agreement signed.

"Our military defense cooperation is good, but it will continue to develop," said Zaharov, who heads a high-level delegation of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on a visit to Serbia.

He stressed that Azerbaijan fully supports Serbia in its efforts to preserve the integrity and sovereignty in Kosovo and Metohija, adding that Serbia supports Azerbaijan in the same way.

Both face problems of separatism problems - one in Kosovo and the other in Nagorno-Karabakh, Zaharov said.