Azernews.Az

European Union is committed to achieve further progress in negotiations for a Strategic Modernisation Partnership and an Association Agreement with Azerbaijan and increase the pace of negotiations.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius made the remark after the meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council on December 9 in Brussels, AzerTag state news agency reported.

He stressed that the Eastern Partnership, including its bilateral track, is based on mutual values and commitments to the rule of law, democracy, good governance and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and encouraged Azerbaijan to continue the implementation of its international obligations and commitments.

"The level of ambition of the EU relationship with its partners will take into account the extent to which these values are reflected in the national practices and policy implementation. Sufficient progress in democracy, the rule of law and human rights, will have great importance in considerations for the deepening of the bilateral relations between the EU and its partners in the framework of the Eastern Partnership," Minister Linkevicius said.

The minister stressed the importance of further development of the multilateral track of the Eastern Partnership and welcomed the participation of the Azerbaijani representatives at the multilateral events of the Eastern Partnership, notably, in the Justice and Home Affairs and Transport Ministerial meetings.

Linkevicius went on to say the EU expects the final investment decision of the consortium for the Shah Deniz II gas field and to finalize, alongside Turkmenistan the trilateral agreement on the Trans-Caspian Pipeline and to swiftly expand the Southern Gas Corridor beyond those volumes already committed by Azerbaijan.

The minister welcomed the signature of the visa facilitation agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan in Vilnius on November 29 and the Mobility partnership on December 5 stressing that it will contribute to promoting people-to-people contacts.