The ceremony of signing of the STATEMENT OF INTENT TO COOPERATE

14 Jun 2007 - 30 Jun 2007

On 7 June 2007, President M. Karimov (Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences) and STCU Executive Director Andrew Hood signed a Statement of Cooperation initiating the Targeted Initiative Program between the two organizations. This is the third extension of the successful STCU Targeted Initiative Program, following the Targeted Initiatives established with Ukraine and Georgia.

Joining in the signing ceremony were Dr. Adalat Hasanov (STCU Regional Officer in Azerbaijan), Academicians Akif Alizadeh, Naila Valikhanli, Ayaz Afandiyev, Arif Ismayil-zadeh, Akhamusa Akhundov, Vagif Farzaliyev, and Tofig Nakhiyev.

The Targeted Initiatives Program, established in 2005, creates an equal partnership between STCU and the governmental science bodies of STCU Beneficiary countries. The STCU and the Beneficiary country agency review and competitively select science research projects that targets both the STCU nonproliferation mandate and the national S&T priorities of the Beneficiary country. Targeted Initiative projects are co-financed using funds from the Beneficiary country agency and from the STCU Donor Parties of Canada, the European Union, and the United States of America.

During the ceremony, Acad. Karimov noted that the 4 years of scientific cooperation between STCU and Azerbaijan gave great opportunities to Azeri scientists for their integration into the international scientific sphere. STCU ED Hood mentioned that STCU-ANAS cooperation will improve through this joint cooperative effort by exploiting the knowledge and experience accumulated by both sides.