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Azerbaijan-EU to start negotiations on new agreement soon

20 January 2017 12:42 (UTC+04:00)
Azerbaijan-EU to start negotiations on new agreement soon

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan and the European Union will start negotiations on new strategic agreement soon, said
Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister.

The deputy minister, talking to reporters on January 20, said that Azerbaijan is working on forming a delegation on the negotiations.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

Azerbaijan has become a country of direct priority to the EU’s strategy in its wider neighborhood since the last enlargement of the European Union in 2007. Azerbaijan affects Europe’s interests, mainly in a regional energy strategy.

Mammad-Guliyev further said that negotiations with the World Trade Organization are also underway.

He added that next meeting is expected to be held in the first quarter of the year in Geneva.

Azerbaijan has had an observer status at the WTO since 1997. The country began negotiations with WTO member states in 2004. Currently, the country negotiates with 19 countries.

As of today, Azerbaijan has completed the negotiations and has signed protocols with Turkey, Oman, the UAE, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. The country is at the stage of signing protocols with China and Moldova.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

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