BAKU, Azerbaijan

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has thanked Azerbaijan for being “a reliable gas supplier of Europe and for increasing gas exports,” the Azerbaijani government said on Tuesday.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev spoke to Stoltenberg over the phone, the Azerbaijani Presidency said in a statement.

They praised the “development of Azerbaijan-NATO relations, and exchanged views on the post-conflict situation in the South Caucasus region, the ongoing processes around Ukraine and the current situation in the global energy market.”

“The NATO secretary general commended Azerbaijan for being a reliable gas supplier of Europe and for increasing gas exports,” read the statement.

Aliyev responded by saying that Azerbaijan will “continue to be a reliable partner as an important exporter of energy products,” it added.

* Writing by Merve Berker