Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon traveled to Azerbaijan today for a two day visit to Iran’s northern neighbor.
Ya’alon met with the Azeri President Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev, as well as with the country’s Defense Minister, Zakir Hasanov, and Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, as well as senior officials from the Azeri government. …
“I’m happy to visit here on the first and historical visit of an Israeli defense minister in Azerbaijan,” Ya’alon said after landing in the Azeri capital, Baku. “Cooperation between the countries is flourishing. There are strategic relations between the countries, and cooperation in a number of fields. Here in Azerbaijan, there is a Jewish community with a magnificent history, which enjoys extraordinary treatment allowing it to live honorably. We very much value that.”
In 2012, Iran demanded an explanation for a $1.5 billion arms purchase Azerbaijan made from Israel. According to the Post, Azerbaijan “sells Israel a third of its oil, and cooperation on technology and trade [between the two countries] is well developed.”
While in Azerbaijan, Ya’alon will also open the Israeli exhibit at the Adex 2014 International Defense Industry Exhibition. Israel will represented “by the International Defense Cooperation Agency of the Ministry of Defense, and 15 defense corporations.”
[Photo: bower8554 / Flickr ]