US Forces Up Azeri Cooperation

The Deputy Commander of the US European Command Gen Charles Wald stated the United States is not going to deploy military bases in Azerbaijan. Having said this, he did not rule out that US military forces could be temporarily stationed in Azerbaijan, explaining this by the need to improve coordination between the military forces of the two countries in joint operations.

"We would want only temporary and short-term deployment of military forces here with the consent of the country's leadership, including the military leadership," the US general said. He noted that the USA and Azerbaijan had many common interests, which include the fight against terrorism, the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the ensuring of stability in the delivery of strategic materials to world markets.

Wald stressed that the USA was interested in developing strategic partnership with Azerbaijan. At the same time, he said that his country intended "to establish strategic partnership with Russia on a long-term basis".