First Vice-Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Chairman of the Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee Ziyafat Asgarov said that the parliament had not received an appeal for increasing the number of the Azerbaijani servicemen in Afghanistan.
"At the recent meeting of NATO foreign ministers proposal was made to increase the number of the servicemen in Afghanistan. If we receive an appeal, issue on increasing the number of the Azerbaijani servicemen in Afghanistan may be considered," he said.
Spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry Elkhan Polukhov also said that Azerbaijan always ready to contribute to peace in Afghanistan.
"Azerbaijan is part of the peacekeeping process in Afghanistan and our country is interested in the soonest establishment of peace and stability there.
Azerbaijan has recently raised its peacekeeping contingent in Afghanistan. This successful peacekeeping operation continues and we are always ready to contribute to peace in Afghanistan. But the issue of additional deployment of our troops in Afghanistan can be settled only by the president. Only the president, as the supreme commander of our armed forces, has a right to take such a decision", he said.
According to Polukhov, Baku also takes an active part in humanitarian and other civil operations in Afghanista:
"For example, Afghan diplomats studied at our Diplomatic academy, we also take part in other humanitarian actions in this country”, he said. Thus, Azerbaijan continues assisting to Afghanistan not only in peacekeeping".
APA, 1 news.az
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