Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are key partners for the European Union within the Eastern Partnership program and the Central Asia Strategy, and the EU is seeking to deepen its relations with the two countries, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has said ahead of his visit to Baku.

Barroso, who will visit the two countries January 13-15 together with EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger, said "we share a strong interest in the long-term security and diversification of our energy supply and demand", according to the EU delegation to Azerbaijan.

"I will therefore make the case for the realization of the Southern Gas Corridor, which will directly bring gas from the Caspian region to European consumers. I am sure that together we will create the necessary conditions for this strategic initiative to take place."

Barroso will sign a joint declaration on the establishment of the Southern Corridor with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku on Thursday. The parties will also agree a joint declaration on the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership for Modernization, which will support political and economic reforms in Azerbaijan.