Rome, November 29, AZERTAC

Italian Agenparl press agency has published an article hailing Azerbaijan’s reinforcing its relations with NATO and the EU.

The article highlights Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as part of his working visit to Belgium, and the President`s speech during the meeting of NATO North Atlantic Council in Brussels.

The article quotes President Ilham Aliyev's remarks at the NATO meeting, saying the Azerbaijani leader lauded his country`s successful cooperation with NATO, its contribution to various missions and operations of the alliance, as well as Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan. “The Azerbaijani President stressed the importance of resolving the conflict in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, drew the audience`s attention to the economic development of Azerbaijan, large-scale projects the country is involved in, and underlined the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor,” the article says.

“The European Union is the main trading partner of Azerbaijan and partnership with the European Union is one of the main priorities of the foreign policy of Azerbaijan. Almost 50 per cent of our trade is the trade with the member states. We are actively developing relations with the member states on bilateral track as with nine members of European Union Azerbaijan adopted declarations on strategic partnership,” the article quotes the Azerbaijani President as saying.

“Azerbaijan's economy is growing rapidly. Azerbaijan is continuing the policy of political and economic reforms. We are strongly committed to developing democracy and protecting human rights,” the head of state emphasized.

The article also says that the President noted the strategic significance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and spoke about the Southern Gas Corridor, which will have a significant impact on Europe's energy map.

The article also provides an insight into the Joint Declaration adopted at the Eastern Partnership Summit, which affirmed support for the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all the member states of the Eastern Partnership.

“The Joint Declaration referred to the Global Strategy for the European Union's Foreign and Security Policy. The Global Strategy has outlined the territorial integrity of the EU member and neighboring countries within their internationally recognized borders,” the article says.

Asiman Asadov

Special Correspondent