Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan does not intend to join the European Union at this point, Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev said Thursday.

"The country's leadership can make such a decision only after the most advanced European experience is transformed in Azerbaijan," Mammadguliyev said at the international conference "Bridge-building" in Baku.

According to Mammadguliyev, Azerbaijan and the European Union have reached agreement on a number of issues and 30 clauses of various cooperation programs since the start of their cooperation in 1996. "But unfortunately, no agreement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement has been reached. Azerbaijan does not agree with the EU position on Nagorno-Karabakh," he said, without elaborating.

He criticized the EU over failing to put forward a clear-cut stance on the Karabakh conflict.

"Despite the fact that the EU has always had a clear position on other conflicts, when it comes to Azerbaijan, it says that it supports the position of the [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group in this matter and looks forward to any decision [that it takes]," he said. "This is not enough because Armenia, exercising a similar approach, delays the settlement process."

Mammadguliyev said other international organizations have not demonstrated a clear position either and have not offered any specific solutions to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Full-scale cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU is possible, but the main obstacle is the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, he said.

Regarding cooperation with the EU on energy security, Mammadguliyev said that Azerbaijan supports the Southern Gas Corridor project.

"Azerbaijan wants to act as a transit country and supplier," the deputy minister said.