Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will travel to Brussels Tuesday to attend discussions between European Union states and the countries participating in the EU-backed Eastern Partnership program, according to the Foreign Ministry.
It is the first ministerial meeting following signing of the Eastern Partnership program this past May in Prague.
The meeting will discuss six EU-funded projects dealing with border cooperation, loans for small and medium enterprise, energy projects, the development of transport corridors, environmental issues and joint efforts against natural calamities.
The Eastern Partnership covers Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus. The program envisages simplified visa regulations, free trade and closer energy cooperation, but membership in the bloc is not on the agenda at this point. The participating countries are required to bring their laws into compliance with EU standards, pursue economic reforms and bolster democratic development.*