BAKU, Azerbaijan, June
18. The defense and security relationship between the
United Kingdom and Azerbaijan has become stronger than ever as both
nations actively collaborate on border protection and international
legal frameworks, the newly appointed Ambassador of the United
Kingdom to Azerbaijan, Duncan Norman said, Trend's correspondent reports
from the event.
He made the remark during an official reception in Baku
celebrating the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles
III.
"Our defence relationship is stronger than ever. We are tackling
illegal commodity smuggling across international borders together,"
Ambassador Norman stated.
The ambassador emphasized that London and Baku increasingly view
critical international and regional security issues through the
same eyes.
Beyond hard security matrices, the British diplomat praised the
rapidly deepening educational and cultural links between the two
countries, driven heavily by the growing number of young
Azerbaijanis choosing to pursue higher education in the UK.
"The UK works with Azerbaijan to expand opportunities for women
and girls, and I'm delighted to see so many people here tonight who
contribute towards those connections, including many of the UK
alumni. The number of young Azerbaijanis choosing to study in the
United Kingdom reflects both the strength of those links and the
outstanding work of the British Council," the diplomat said.
In a lighter nod to shared historical ties, the ambassador
warmly recalled Tofiq Bahramov, the legendary Azerbaijani linesman
from the 1966 World Cup final.
"As the linesman who ruled England's third goal onside in the
1966 World Cup final, he secured his place in English football
history. Sixty years later, England fans remain forever grateful.
As the World Cup gets underway, hopefully England will not need
quite so much support this time around. But the relationship, of
course, that truly matters is the one between our two countries,"
Ambassador Norman concluded.
