Baku: On July 23, First Deputy Minister of Defense – Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev, held a meeting with a delegation led by the Chief of Defence of Italian Armed Forces, General Luciano Portolano, during his visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, as reported by the Ministry of Defense to APA.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Italian delegation paid a visit to the Alley of Shehids, where they placed flowers and wreaths at the graves of Martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as at the Eternal Flame monument.
The official welcoming ceremony at the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army included a ceremonial passage in front of the guard of honor, the performance of the National Anthems of both countries, and the signing of the Book of Honor in accordance with the protocol.
Following the ceremony, Colonel General Karim Valiyev expressed his satisfaction at welcoming his Italian counterpart to Azerbaijan. He emphasized the importance of the existing military relations between Azerbaijan and Italy, noting the value of such visits in fostering mutual exchange of experience.
General Luciano Portolano expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and hospitality. He conveyed his satisfaction with the current state of cooperation between the two countries, affirming its positive contribution to the progress of both armies.
The meeting focused on further enhancing cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy in military, military-technical, and military educational fields. Both sides expressed confidence in the continued success of their collaboration.
The Italian delegation also visited the Cybersecurity Center, where they learned about activities carried out to ensure the cybersecurity of modern weapon systems and information technology equipment used by the Azerbaijan Army. They received detailed information about modern cybersecurity tools powered by artificial intelligence.
Subsequently, the delegation visited the Air Force Combat Control Center, where they were briefed on the center’s organizational structure, operational principles, and key areas of activity.
The visit concluded with a tour of one of the military units of the Special Forces. Flowers were laid in front of the bust of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the monument complex in memory of Martyrs located within the military unit’s territory. The Italian guests were provided with detailed information about the military unit and watched exemplary combat training performances by members of the Special Forces.