POLITICS
Herbert Salber: European Union attaches importance to developing relations with Azerbaijan
Baku, March 16, AZERTAC
“The European Union attaches importance to developing relations with Azerbaijan. There are favorable opportunities for expanding the cooperation in a variety of fields,” said EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Herbert Salber as he met with Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Baku.
The sides exchanged views on the current state and prospects of relations between Azerbaijan and EU, and expressed mutual interest for the development of the bilateral cooperation.
Highlighting the negotiations process over the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told that the conflict constitutes main threat to the regional peace and security. Noting that the current status-quo is unsustainable and unacceptable, Elmar Mammadyarov added that for the resolution of the conflict as well as changing the current status-quo, first and foremost, the armed forces of Armenia must to be withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Mentioning that ceasing the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories would be a necessary confidence-building measure, the FM emphasized the importance of establishing contacts and dialogue between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
They stressed the importance of the energy partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union, and TAP and TANAP projects, which are the important components of Southern Gas Corridor. The sides also discussed scientific, educational and humanitarian cooperation.