UPDATE - Azerbaijan, Israel discuss bilateral ties, military-technical cooperation

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT ON MEETING BETWEEN AZERBAIJANI, ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTERS, REVISES DECK

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan and Israel on Thursday discussed the development of bilateral ties, including military-technical cooperation, an Azerbaijani presidency statement said.

This came during a meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the capital Baku.

“During the conversation, the meeting between the head of state and the defense minister of Israel, which took place in Munich this year, was recalled,” the statement said.

“The role of Israeli President Ishak Herzog's visit to Azerbaijan in the development of our relations was noted,” it added.

It added that the meeting underlined the importance of the opening of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Israel in expanding cooperation between the two countries.

Israel and Azerbaijan have had relations for 30 years, and Israel has an embassy in Baku since 1993. Azerbaijan opened its embassy in Tel Aviv in March this year.

Later, Gallant also met with his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov, during which the two noted the importance of their countries' partnership "not only in the development of our countries, but also in ensuring security in the entire region," according to an Azerbaijani Defense Ministry statement.

Gallant, according to the statement, also said that the relations between Azerbaijan and Israel are based on "friendship and mutual trust," adding that meetings such as the one they held are necessary "in terms of further development of military cooperation."

"The importance of further strengthening of strategic relations and expansion of security relations was specially emphasized," it added.

The statement said that the two defense ministers also discussed the prospects for the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel in the military and military-technical fields, in addition to a number of issues of mutual interest.