EU exploring avenues for closer co-op
The European Union chairman, Swedish Foreign
Minister Carl Bildt has said on a visit to Baku that new
opportunities are available for expanding the bloc`s cooperation
with Azerbaijan. The statement came at a news briefing in
conclusion of talks with his counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov on
Monday.
Bildt said the EU was working to revitalize its economic cooperation with the country, carry out free trade and conclude new agreements. The Swedish minister, who leads the EU`s troika visit to the South Caucasus states, said the goal of visiting Azerbaijan was to discuss bilateral cooperation and ways of developing interaction within Eastern Partnership, a program on Europe`s closer cooperation with its ex-Soviet neighbors. According to him, a number of political issues -- including human rights and security issues - have been discussed in the Azerbaijani capital.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, Bildt said the EU backs efforts of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group. "We support comprehensive normalization of the situation in the region."
Mammadyarov, for his part, said he had discussed with EU officials ways of taking bilateral relations to a higher level. Among the issues mulled were democratic development and the conduct of reforms in the country.
The EU delegation, which had arrived in Azerbaijan on Sunday, met with the country`s opposition leaders later in the day. Views were exchanged on a wide range of issues including EU-Azerbaijan relations, Eastern Partnership, socio-political situation in the country, and human rights.
Following meetings with Azerbaijani officials on Monday, the troika representatives headed to Armenia.
The troika includes representatives of the incumbent, previous and future chairs of the 27-member bloc.
Bildt said the EU was working to revitalize its economic cooperation with the country, carry out free trade and conclude new agreements. The Swedish minister, who leads the EU`s troika visit to the South Caucasus states, said the goal of visiting Azerbaijan was to discuss bilateral cooperation and ways of developing interaction within Eastern Partnership, a program on Europe`s closer cooperation with its ex-Soviet neighbors. According to him, a number of political issues -- including human rights and security issues - have been discussed in the Azerbaijani capital.
Regarding the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, Bildt said the EU backs efforts of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group. "We support comprehensive normalization of the situation in the region."
Mammadyarov, for his part, said he had discussed with EU officials ways of taking bilateral relations to a higher level. Among the issues mulled were democratic development and the conduct of reforms in the country.
The EU delegation, which had arrived in Azerbaijan on Sunday, met with the country`s opposition leaders later in the day. Views were exchanged on a wide range of issues including EU-Azerbaijan relations, Eastern Partnership, socio-political situation in the country, and human rights.
Following meetings with Azerbaijani officials on Monday, the troika representatives headed to Armenia.
The troika includes representatives of the incumbent, previous and future chairs of the 27-member bloc.
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