Compiled and edited by the NATO Contact Point Embassy (NATO CPE) in Azerbaijan
–November 2013 –
INTHIS EDITION:
· N A T O – A z e r b a i j a n
- ANAMA Director HAS visitED NATO headquarters
- AZERBAIJAN ATTENDS CHARITY BAZAAR IN NATO HEADQUARTERS
- AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES HOSTED THE “NATO DAYS” WORKSHOP IN BAKU
· P U B L I C D I P L O M A C Y
- AMBASSADOR OF ROMANIA HELD A PUBLIC LECTURE AT GANJA STATE UNIVERSITY
- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE „COOPERATIVE APPROACH TO ENERGY SECURITY: VIEW FROM NATO AND BEYOND”
- AMBASSADOR OF ROMANIA HELD A LECTURE ON THE THEME OF RELATIONS BETWEEN NATO AND AZERBAIJAN FOR STUDENTS IN LANKARAN CITY
- AMBASSADOR OF ROMANIA HELD A LECTURE ON THE OCCASION OF THE NATO SEMINAR FOR STUDENTS IN SHEKI CITY
· R E G I O N
- NATO-GEORGIA COMMISSION MEETING IN BRUSSELS
- STATEMENT BY THE NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ON THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT IN VILNIUS
· n a t o H Q
- NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ANNOUNCES DATES FOR 2014 SUMMIT
Þ N A T O – A z e r b a i j a n
ANAMA Director HAS visitED NATO headquarters
Director of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Actions (ANAMA) Nazim Ismayilov has visited NATO headquarters in Brussels. The ANAMA Director addressed the NATO Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council meeting.
Mr Ismayilov highlighted the Agency’s projects, particularly the first stage of ongoing Jeyranchel Partnership for Peace Trust Fund carried out jointly with NATO. The second stage of the JPP Trust Fund was officially launched on sidelines of the event. The ANAMA Director also held a number of high level meetings at NATO Integration, Partnership, Cooperation and Operations Offices, as well as the NATO Permanent Representatives. The meetings featured discussions on the ANAMA’s national and international activities, including its contributions to international projects.
NATO Officials hailed ANAMA’s activities, and lauded the organization`s interest in continuing partnership.
Source: AzerTAc
Date: 11 November 2013
Azerbaijan attends Charity Bazaar in NATO headquarters
A Charity Bazaar took place in NATO headquarters in Brussels on 17 November.
Azerbaijan was represented with a stand of national products and national cuisine in the event attended by 39 countries, according to the Azerbaijani mission to NATO.
The national stand featured carpets of Azerbaijan, silk and pottery products, silver jewelry, drinks and so on. A cuisine of Azerbaijan was presented in international restaurant section of the Charity Bazaar.
The national stand and cuisine of Azerbaijan was met with a great interest by visitors and was success in terms of popularizing culture, history and art of Azerbaijan. The proceeds of the event will be spent on charity projects by NATO.
Azerbaijan’s participation was sponsored by SOCAR and organized by the country’s mission to NATO. The delegation of Azerbaijan to the event included members of the national mission to NATO, staff members of the Azerbaijani embassy in Belgium, SOCAR mission in Brussels, mission of the Islamic Cooperation Organization in Brussels and Azerbaijani students who are on probation in European Parliament.
NATO Charity Bazaar was launched as a non-profit organization in 2005. It aims to raise funds for charity by organizing events and boost friendship between NATO military staff and military missions.
Source: AzerTAc, News.Az
Date: 19 November 2013
Azerbaijani Armed Forces hosted the “NATO Days” workshop in Baku
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces hosted the “NATO Days” workshop in Baku.
The workshop was organized by expert group of NATO`s Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. The goal of the workshop was to inform the teachers and commanders, military cadets and students of Azerbaijani educational institutions about the North Atlantic bloc.
Round tables were organized as part of the event. The round tables were dedicated to the topics as the NATO`s structure, history, objectives, policies and strategies, its new strategic concept, the process of transformation, reforms and partnerships. The participants were also informed about NATO-led peacekeeping operations.
Source: AzerTAc
Date: 29 November 2013
Þ P U B L I C D I P L O M A C Y
Ambassador of Romania held a public lecture at Ganja State University
On 1st of November 2013, within the mandate of NATO Contact Point Embassy, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Romania to the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Daniel Cristian Ciobanu held a public lecture on the theme of „NATO-Azerbaijan relations: current state of affairs and perspectives” at the State University in Ganja city.
The event was attended by students and professors of the University, as well as representatives of Ganja Euro-Atlantic Information Centre and journalists.
Ambassador of Romania underlined the strategic value of Azerbaijan for the North-Atlantic Alliance. He also pointed out to the main aspects of cooperation between NATO and Azerbaijan, noting especially Azerbaijani support for ISAF operation, collaboration in demining projects at Saloglu and Jeyranchel and Melange rocket fuel destruction project, as well as political cooperation in the framework of Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council. Furthermore, he emphasized the existing potential for extension of cooperation in such fields as energy security and cyber security.
Lecture was followed by debates, with the participation of attending students and professors.
On the margins of the event, Ambassador of Romania was interviewed by local media on relations between NATO and Azerbaijan.
Source: NATO CPE in Azerbaijan
Date: November 1, 2013
International conference „Cooperative Approach to Energy Security: View from NATO and Beyond”
Ambassador of Romania, H.E. Daniel Cristian Ciobanu held a speech on the theme of “Energy and Security Related Developments in the Caspian Region” on the occasion of the international conference “Cooperative Approach to Energy Security: View from NATO and Beyond”, which took place in Baku, on November 21, 2013.
The event was organized by Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Republic of Azerbaijan (SAM) together with NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence in Vilnius and was attended by NATO officials, representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in Baku, experts and journalists.
Debates have focused on radical transformations with regard to such new challenges to security as attacks on critical infrastructure in relation with modern technology advances, as well as ways and means of preventing and combating them. Energy related developments in the Caspian region after the Shah-Deniz Consortium decision in favour of Trans-Adriatic Pipeline were also largely discussed.
In his speech, Ambassador of Romania highlighted the constant support of Romania to the opening of the Southern Gas Corridor, project with an instrumental value from the point of view of attaining the overall European Union objective of natural gas import sources diversification. He also pointed out to Romanian support for deepening and extending relations between NATO/EU and Azerbaijan. He presented main directions of cooperation between NATO and Azerbaijan, pointing out to the strategic character of relations between North Atlantic Alliance and Baku.
Source: NATO CPE in Azerbaijan
Date: November 21, 2013
Ambassador of Romania held a lecture on the theme of relations between NATO and Azerbaijan for students in Lankaran city
On November 22, 2013, Ambassador of Romania to Baku, H.E. Mr. Daniel Cristian Ciobanu held a lecture for students in the Azerbaijani city of Lankaran on relations between North Atlantic Alliance and Azerbaijan.
The event was part of a regional training programme under the theme of „Euro-Atlantic Security and Azerbaijan – NATO Partnership: past, present and future” and was attend by a significant number of students and professors from different higher education institutions in Lankaran.
Ambassador of Romania highlighted main aspects of cooperation between NATO and Azerbaijan, pointing out to the dynamic political dialogue (illustrated by high level visits in 2012 and 2013) and excellent results of practical cooperation in the field of fight against terrorism (with a focus on Azerbaijan contribution, on multiple layers, to the efforts directed towards stabilization of Afghanistan). He underlined successful implementation of different projects in the framework of Science for Peace and Security Programme, such as the one on converting dangerous rocket fuel Melange, as well as demining projects at Saloglu (finalized in 2011) and Jeyranchel (on-going). He also mentioned current trends envisaging extending cooperation between NATO and Azerbaijan in new fields, such as energy security and protection of critical infrastructure, as well as cyber security.
Representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Vugar Gurbanov and NATO International School of Azerbaijan (NISA) Director Tural Ahmadov delivered speeches on different aspects of the relations between Azerbaijan and North-Atlantic Alliance.
Lectures were followed by debates, with the active participation of attending students and professors.
Source: NATO CPE in Azerbaijan
Date: November 22, 2013
Ambassador of Romania held a lecture on the occasion of the NATO seminar for students in Sheki city
On November 26, 2013, Ambassador of Romania to Baku, H.E. Mr. Daniel Cristian Ciobanu held a lecture on the theme of relations between North Atlantic Alliance and Azerbaijan on the occasion of a seminar for students in the Azerbaijani city of Sheki.
The event was part of a regional training programme under the theme of „Euro-Atlantic Security and Azerbaijan – NATO Partnership: past, present and future” and was attend by a large number of students and professors from different higher education institutions in Sheki.
In his presentation, Ambassador of Romania highlighted the strategic value of relations between NATO and Azerbaijan, illustrated by the broad spectre of cooperation activities, among which a central role is assumed by the fight against terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as emergent challenges to security. He also pointed out to energy security and cyber security as areas of increasing collaboration between North Atlantic Alliance and Azerbaijan. He underlined dynamic political contacts between NATO and Azerbaijan, evoking high level visits in 2012 and participation of NATO high ranking officials to different public diplomacy events held in Azerbaijan in 2013.
NATO Liaison Officer for South Caucasus, William Lahue, explained the internal mechanisms of the North Atlantic Alliance in its double capacity of military and political organization. He insisted on cooperation relations between NATO and partner countries and on the importance attached by North Atlantic Alliance to collaboration with a large number of countries in different geographical areas.
Representative of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nadir Sarajli and NATO International School of Azerbaijan (NISA) Director Tural Ahmadov also presented different aspects of the relations between Azerbaijan and North-Atlantic Alliance.
Presentations were followed by debates, with the active participation of attending students and professors.
Source: NATO CPE in Azerbaijan
Date: November 26, 2013
Þ R E G I O N
NATO-GEORGIA COMMISSION MEETING IN BRUSSELS
A meeting at ambassadorial level of the NATO-Georgia Commission (NGC) was held at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's headquarters in Brussels on the 27th of November 2013.
At the meeting, the two sides discussed the 2013 Annual National Programme and Georgian-Russian relations. The Georgian delegation was led by the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Issues, Mr Aleksi Petriashvili, and the First Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Davit Zalkaliani.
The Allies praised Georgia's implementation of democratic reforms under the fifth cycle of the 2013 Annual National Programme highly, underlining the fact that Georgia has made essential progress towards carrying out the Annual National Programme which will bring the country closer to the prospect of becoming a member of the Alliance. The Permanent Representatives of the member states to NATO also emphasized the fact that Georgia's recent free, fair and democratic presidential elections were further proof of the progress the country has made along the path of democratization as well as of the political maturity of Georgian society.
At the NATO-Georgia Commission meeting, the Allies confirmed their support for the Georgian Government's pragmatic approach to the normalization of relations with Russia as well as for the constructive steps it has taken in this regard. The Permanent Representatives of NATO's member states and the Organization's Secretary-general reaffirmed the Alliance's firm support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Allies also reaffirmed their commitment to the decision adopted at NATO's Bucharest Summit in 2008, which holds that Georgia will become a member of NATO, and expressed their gratitude for the country's contribution to Euro-Atlantic security.
Later on the 27th of November, the Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Issues and the First Deputy Foreign Minister held a meeting with the NATO Secretary-general, Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, during which they discussed Georgia's integration with NATO and future plans in this direction, Georgian-Russian relations, and ongoing democratic reforms in Georgia.
Source: Press and Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
Date: November 27, 2013
STATEMENT BY THE NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ON THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT IN VILNIUS
„I welcome the results of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius. The Vilnius Summit is a defining moment in the European Union's relationship with Eastern European partners.
I congratulate Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova for making the sovereign choice to take important steps forward in their relations with the European Union with determination, courage and hard work.
Today’s agreements will further enhance reforms, trade, and people to people contacts. They represent a major contribution to freedom, stability, and prosperity in Europe. I welcome the forward looking agenda for the Eastern Partnership over the next two years, which will consolidate and develop the process of political association and economic integration. These are goals that NATO shares and supports through its own partnerships and security cooperation”.
Source: http://www.nato.int/
Date: November 29, 2013
Þ N A T O H Q
NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ANNOUNCES DATES FOR 2014 SUMMIT