BAKU, April 10. /TASS/. The situation in the region calls for stepping up security cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Monday receiving Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, the head of state’s website reported.

"While pointing to a very good level of cooperation between the two countries in strengthening international security, the head of state underlined the importance of permanent contacts between Azerbaijan and Russia and their joint efforts to tackle numerous issues. He said that the current situation in the region calls for further boosting security cooperation," the statement said. According to Aliyev, cooperation in the security area "is the basis for the successful development of ties as a whole." Azerbaijan’s president voiced confidence that Patrushev’s visit will contribute to "deepening cooperation between the two countries in the sphere of security and minimization of risks."

For his part, the Russian Security Council secretary noted that international and regional security issues will be discussed with the Azerbaijani side during his visit to Baku.