BAKU, October 3. /TASS/. Russian and Azerbaijani special services have jointly prevented a provocation against a Russian diplomat, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, has told the media in Baku.

"Lately we have been observing and experiencing an upsurge in subversive activities against foreign missions and citizens of our two countries abroad. For instance, recently our special services managed to ward off the threat of a US provocation against one of the Russian diplomats," he said.

The SVR appreciates the professionalism of Azerbaijani colleagues, Naryshkin added. "Cooperation between the Foreign Intelligence Service and our Azerbaijani counterparts largely stems from the strategic partnership between the two states, as well as the historical, fraternal ties between our peoples," he stressed.

The SVR press office earlier reported that on October 2-3 Naryshkin paid an official visit to Baku, where he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and held talks with Azerbaijan’s State Security Service. At the meeting with the Azerbaijani president "topical issues of the international situation, the ongoing cooperation between Russia’s SVR and Azerbaijani special services in various areas of intelligence activities and the priorities of bilateral cooperation in the near future were touched upon."