Azerbaijan, NATO discuss cooperation in humanitarian demining

Azerbaijan and NATO have discussed cooperation in the field of humanitarian demining, Report informs, citing the Mine Action Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ANAMA).

The discussions took place during a meeting between ANAMA Deputy Chairman Samir Poladov and a NATO delegation led by Eirini Lemos Maniati, Head of the Arms Control, Disarmament and Weapons of Mass Destruction Non-Proliferation Division.

The meeting covered the current state of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation in humanitarian demining, the importance of support from international partners in this area, and progress on a project being implemented under NATO's Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme to introduce innovative methods in humanitarian demining.

The sides also discussed Azerbaijan's participation in other current and future projects under the programme aimed at applying new-generation high technologies and innovative methods to demining activities.

Poladov stressed that mines pose a serious obstacle to the return of former internally displaced persons to their native lands, delay restoration and reconstruction work, and cause significant humanitarian, economic and environmental consequences.

He also briefed the NATO delegation on ANAMA's operations, the activities of the Goygol Training Center, and the agency's international partnerships in the field of humanitarian demining.