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12 April 2017

APA

“Azerbaijan has been a reliable EU partner and has demonstrated a strong political will to develop relationship with EU based on mutual respect, equal partnership and common interests,” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at the meeting of foreign ministers of Visegrad (V4) Group and Eastern Partnership countries, the Azerbaijani MFA told APA.

He said that the recent visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Brussels in February opened a new chapter in bilateral ties with the official launching of a negotiations process on a new bilateral document.

“We welcome the EU’s commitment in the Global Strategy for the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy, adopted in 2016,that ‘the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states, the inviolability of borders and peaceful settlement of disputes are key elements of the European security order and these principles apply to all states, both within and beyond the EU’s borders.’ Azerbaijan is entering into negotiation process with strong belief that the new and ambitious agreement will upgrade our ties to a level of strategic partnership and would meet the needs and the priorities of the parties in the changing political and security environment,” he said.

Strategic partnership in the field of energy remains the cornerstone of our cooperation, he added.

The minister also said that despite the concerns and against the backdrop of geopolitical and security changes and challenges in the EU neighborhood, strengthening dialogue with the EU is among Azerbaijan’s priorities.

“Over the recent years bilateral and multilateral tracks of the EaP proved to be useful instruments in sharing experience and exchange of best practices with European partners.

At the end of April we are embarking on negotiations with EU on a new bilateral Agreement. It is a must for Azerbaijan that the new Agreement clearly reflects EU`s support for and respect to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability of the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan.

The respect to the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as to other countries of EaP, is not only the issue for us; it is also the matter for the EU, and crucial for development of the region,” he said.