Azerbaijan will participate in military exercises in Caspian region

Azerbaijan's president Geidar Aliyev has confirmed Azerbaijan's intention to participate in military exercises in the Caspian region, which will be held by Russia in August.

This statement was made by Aliyev before his departure to Yalta for the summit between the presidents of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldavia.

The large-scale exercises in the Caspian region are scheduled for the first half of August. About 60 ships, including the flagman of the Russian Caspian flotilla "Tatarstan" will be launched to the sea.

Russia's Defence Minister earlier said that Kazakhstan's fleet and aviation would also participate in the exercises. Iran will take part in the Caspian exercises as an observer. Turkmenistan refused to participate.

"These will be antiterrorist exercises in their essence," Ivanov pointed.