Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan will resume negotiations with the European Commission on the Association Agreement in the nearest future, Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev told Trend news agency on Thursday.

The Association Agreement covers four areas - political dialogue, including issues of security; justice and human rights; economic, social and humanitarian issues; and trade. Negotiations are conducted regarding all these areas.

Opportunities will be provided in the future for the export of Azerbaijani goods to EU countries. Azerbaijan already enjoys duty-free export of several thousand types of commodities to EU countries, however, the quality of these goods is said to be a problem.

"Videoconferences were held last year and will be resumed soon. The issues covered by the draft agreement are subjects of discussions. At this point I don't see any need for holding a plenary session, but if necessary and given the request by the European Union, we will address these issues," Mammadguliyev said.

According to him, there are very serious issues that need to be discussed with the European Commission.

"A formulation acceptable for Azerbaijan needs to be found," Mammadguliyev said.

Earlier Mammadguliyev said it is very important for Azerbaijan to prepare a quality document that covers all aspects of the country's long-term cooperation with the EU.

The EU and Azerbaijan are maintaining relations under the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was signed in 1996 and came into force in 1999. In 2009, the EU passed a decision to sanction negotiations on the conclusion of bilateral association agreements of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia with the organization. These agreements will be a new practical instrument to replace the bilateral action plans.

Azerbaijan is also included in the EU's Eastern Partnership program, adopted at the initiative of Poland and Sweden and approved at the EU summit in Brussels in 2008. The Eastern Partnership is aimed at political and economic rapprochement of six post-Soviet states with the EU.

Azerbaijan and the EU also discuss the visa facilitation and readmission issues.

Mammadguliyev said in December that Azerbaijan and the EU will hold the next round of talks on easing visa regulations and readmission in the first quarter of 2013.

According to Mammadguliyev, there are no problems with visa facilitation, while some readmission questions remain open.

The official negotiations between Azerbaijan and the EU on visa facilitation started in March 2012 in Baku. The third round of negotiations took place in Baku in November.

An agreement on the simplification of visa entry for citizens of Azerbaijan provides for a reduction of the list of documents submitted along with the application for a visa and the possibility of issuing multiple entry visas with a longer validity period, thus reducing the cost of visas or even making them free for particular categories, and envisions time limits for processing an application.

The agreement on readmission will develop a mechanism for repatriation of those residing in the EU and Azerbaijan without permission.