Such high-level meetings, as the one recently held between NATO and Russian Armed Forces representatives in Baku, no doubt, show Azerbaijan's importance on the international arena, and confirm that it has become a strong state, Azerbaijani MP Bakhtiyar Aliyev told.

Aliyev was commenting on the meeting of Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Sir Stuart Peach in Baku.

"These contacts in Baku indicate that both Russia and the West consider Azerbaijan their reliable partner," the MP added.

Aliyev emphasized that holding such meetings in Azerbaijan strengthens political and diplomatic potential of the country.

"Holding a meeting between Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Sir Stuart Peach namely in Baku is an indicator of Azerbaijan's growing authority on the international arena," the MP said.

"Thanks to the well-deserved trust in the world, Azerbaijan has become the venue for a number of political, economic, military, energy, transport and communications, sporting and cultural events of global significance. Azerbaijan carries out all these events at the highest level," said the MP.

"Therefore, NATO and Russia trust Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan plays the role of a bridge between civilizations, states and peoples. Azerbaijan is pursuing a balanced foreign policy and maintains normal relations with NATO countries and Russia, as well as carries out strategic partnership, therefore, the parties prefer to hold such meetings in Baku," Aliyev added.

"In addition, Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of NATO and Azerbaijani troops serve in Afghanistan along with NATO troops. Recently, the number of our military personnel has increased by 30 percent, and now their number is 120 people. We also work within the Partnership for Peace program. At the same time, we provide important logistic and transport support for cargo moving to Afghanistan. The Azerbaijani president spoke about all this, receiving the NATO official representative."

On Nov. 26, 2019, a meeting was held in Baku between Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach.

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