V4 stands for deepening ties with Azerbaijan
By Kamila Aliyeva
The Visegrad Group stands for deepening strategic relations with Azerbaijan, especially in the energy sector.
The remarks were made by Hungarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Imre Laszloczki at a press conference in Baku on July 19.
The Visegrad Four supports Azerbaijan’s aspirations for intensifying cooperation. It is interested in signing a new agreement on strategic partnership between Baku and the EU as soon as possible.
Speaking about the cooperation of the Visegrad Group with Azerbaijan, Laszloczki also informed about his intention to activate the announcement of the competitions by the Visegrad Fund to enhance mobility at the political, economic, infrastructural and social levels.
Ambassador noted that cooperation within the framework of Visegrad Group is a proof that the member countries want to remain active architects of the European future.
The member countries have all the opportunities for this, Laszloczki said.
For 26 years since the creation of the Visegrad Group, the importance of cooperation within its framework is constantly growing.
Thus, in recent years, the Visegrad Fund has supported 5,050 projects for a total of 75 million euros and awarded 1,950 scholarships.
"By this Visegrad Fund helped to stabilize our expanded region, including the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries," the ambassador added.
He noted that the member countries of the Visegrad Group are ready to contribute to the future development of the EU as equal partners.
Laszloczki also revealed the date of a meeting which will be held as part of the partnership between the Visegrad Group and the Eastern Partnership countries in Budapest on September 11-12.
He added that the ministers of the countries, participating in the meeting, will take part in it.
This meeting will be a stage of preparation for the EU Eastern Partnership summit expected to be held in November.
Laszloczki underlined that ‘V4 +’ cooperation format between the Visegrad Four and other countries has recently become popular.
Ambassador of Czech Republic Witezslav Pivonka who also attended the press conference expressed his country’s interest in cooperation with the GUAM countries, in particular with Azerbaijan.
The Visegrad Group, also called the Visegrad Four, or V4 is a cultural and political alliance of four Central European states – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – for the purposes of furthering their European integration, as well as for advancing military, economic and energy cooperation with one another. Hungary chairs the Visegrad Group since July 1.
The Eastern Partnership initiative was launched in 2009 with the main focus on regional cooperation in the EU's eastern neighborhood. It sets out to promote political association and economic integration with the EU among six EaP countries such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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