Dear ladies and gentlemen,

First of all I would like to thank Mr. President for invitation to visit Brussels again. I remember the last visit when we signed the strategic energy partnership memorandum and since that time relations between EU and Azerbaijan successfully developed. We pay very big importance to our relations and today`s conversation once again show how important these relations are for both sides. I am very grateful to Mr. President for his conviction about economic development in our country. In fact during the last 5 years we had unprecedented economic growth. GDP grew 2.6 times, industry production 2.5 times, budget spending more than 10 times. And this year despite of the economic crisis and despite of the fact that the oil price dropped substantially several times still we continue to grow. Our economy grew in the first quarter of this year more than 4%, and the most important is that non-oil economy grew 14%. This is clear indication that our policy of diversification of economic development, investments and policy of economic reforms led to the fact that we are no longer dependant on oil and gas, and oil and gas is not playing the decisive role as it was before in our economy. We continue economic reforms, last year World Bank announced Azerbaijan the top reformer in Doing Business. Also political reforms are being conducted in Azerbaijan. Economic and political reforms are being conducted in parallel. And relations with European Union for us are also important because we want to bring all the criteria of our life close to the criteria of the European Union. These relations are very solid, they have a very good future and they based on mutual interest. Energy was one of the issues which we seriously discussed with Mr. President, and I expressed once again my support to the project which is being discussed in Europe. Azerbaijan was a country which initiated the construction of the pipelines from the Caspian to the West. It was based on our initiatives and performance that today we can talk about Nabucco, TGI, TAP and other projects, because we did all the preliminary work what was necessary to be done. And today having huge oil and gas reserves more than infrastructure pipelines and good location, of course, Azerbaijan will continue to play important role in the regional energy security and in the energy security issues of Europe. Europe is a great partner of Azerbaijan, and I am sure that this visit and the steps to be taken in the future will strengthen these relations.

I`d like once again thank, Mr. President, for invitation, for very fruitful and sincere conversation we had which has a very big importance for our future.

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Question: (Shahin Jafarov, AZERTAC News Agency). My question is to Mr. President Aliyev and Mr. Barroso. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are members of Eastern Partnership Initiative while Armenia still continues occupation territories of Azerbaijan. What is your opinion towards this situation?

Ilham Aliyev: We discussed this issue with Mr. President and of course they continue the occupation of our lands by Armenia for many years is a biggest threat not only to Azerbaijan, but to the regional security and stability. This is a biggest injustice we witness for almost 2 decades in our region. The internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan are under occupation by a neighboring country. As a result of this occupation million of Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people in our country. As a result of the policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, seven regions around the administrative border of Nagorno-Karabakh now are under control of Armenian armed forces. We are trying to resolve the conflict based on the international law norms, based on the decisions made by OSCE, resolutions of Security Council of the United Nations which demand unconditional withdrawal Armenian armed forces from our territory. Sometimes Armenian position means that people of Nagorno-Karabakh should have a right of self-determination. This right does not mean that self-determination should lead to violation of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Armenians, as a nation, have already self-determined themselves. They had a sovereign Armenian state. If to follow this logic there could be 20 states worldwide with Armenian population. Second, self-determination of Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh can happen and should happen in the framework of the sovereign Azerbaijani state. This is what international law norms demand, this is what Azerbaijan is firmly stands on and I am sure that only on this bases the conflict can be resolved.

Jose Manuel Barroso: Yes, of course, as you said both Azerbaijan and Armenia are partners in the Eastern Partnership and let me once again say that we persuade all efforts made to continue talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan to find solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. And we hope to see some progress in this regard we encourage the discussion to take place soon and I understand President Aliyev is going to meet president of Armenia in Prague. We support all efforts to reach solution for this problem that indeed probably affecting countries which we want develop constructive and good relations. We will support also everything to reduce the tension in the region. We believe that it is important also. Some concrete aspects to achieve some concrete progress are set to create better atmosphere in the region.

Question: (Sabah Daily) My question will be to both President Barroso and President Aliyev. Have you discussed the recent rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey and what are your positions on this issue? Thank you.

Jose Manuel Barroso: Yes, we have discussed. We had very good, very friendly conversation and among friends we discuss everything. We have also discussed this issue very openly. First of all let me tell you I fully understand the sensitivity of the issue for Azerbaijan. We understand that and President Aliyev was very clear about what means for Azerbaijani people this matter, how sensitive it is. At the same time, we may understand that we in the European Union are happy anytime there is tension going down and also the fact that is tension between Turkey and Armenia I think we have to welcome it. That is why we welcome this fact, because as you know traditionally there are very important problems between Turkey and Armenia. We believe that this is not helpful for the region as a whole. So, yes, we welcome these positive developments. But that does not mean that we do not want to see a solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. I want to make that clear that we at the same time do hope and we do encourage the efforts, namely the efforts made by Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach a solution for that process. So that was basically our position, position that we have stated publicly before what today I also have stated to President Aliyev. Once again I want to thank him for the very honest, very open which he gave me sensitivity and also some information about the sensitivity of this issue for the people of Azerbaijan.

Ilham Aliyev: We discussed with Mr. President very broad range of issues, including regional development, regional cooperation and of course when we are talking about regional cooperation we cannot avoid discussing the recent developments in the region, what you mentioned in your question. Our position was expressed on several occasions, which mean that we never interfere into neither internal affairs of any country or into relations between two sovereign countries. It is a decision to be made by Turkey and Armenia. It is their choice, how they would prefer to continue their relations. But as some comment of the historic roots of this problem, I would like to mention that the border between Turkey and Armenia was closed in 1993. As a result of occupation by Armenia of the territories of Azerbaijan and today occupation continues, today Armenia still continues to occupy internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan. Again I would like to say that we are not in the position to go ahead or to prevent from any relations between two countries. The only think which I would like to mention that we also have a right and of course we use that right to adjust our policy to the existing realities in the region. To adjust our steps to new situation, which make emerge in the region. Today we hear a lot of controversial comments coming from various sources. From one source we hear that the road map was agreed without preconditions. From other sources we hear that it was not said that it was without preconditions. Something, like a game of the word.

I think the world and the region, and Azerbaijani people would like to know what is happening. Is Nagorno Karabakh settlement disconnected from Turkish - Armenian rapprochement or not? This is a very simple question and very simple answer is needed.

Khadija Ismayilova (Azadlig): I would like to ask about the political dimension of cooperation and how the European Union assesses the democracy record of the country? And is it enough to start a new level of the cooperation within the association agreement as a further step?

Jose Manuel Borosso: Recently, we have published our report on this. I had also about this very frank and open conversation with President Aliyev. I appreciate the efforts he is making for the rule of law in Azerbaijan. It was stated for several times that he wants to bring his country close to the European Union model, European Union values, European Union way of organizing and I very much welcome this. I like to see some progress. As President Aliyev said now here in this press conference, we believe that economic reforms should also be accompanied by political reforms. And I think democracy is the most advanced political system and it should of course encourage all the steps made in Azerbaijan for consolidation of democratic system and democratic consolidation also in terms of rule of law.

Ilham Aliyev: It is absolutely clear for us that we will not be able to create a prosperous, sustainable state without rule of law and without strong democratization of the society. Our economic and political reforms go in parallel and one supports another. I also strongly believe that in a country with serious economic and social problems, the country with poverty, it will be very difficult to create a real democratic state. Therefore, our efforts are aimed at reduction of poverty, which we successfully manage to do, several times poverty level dropped in the last five years and also democratization of our country.

Our relations with European Union, with the Council of Europe have this goal in this agenda. If that was not a purpose of Azerbaijan then we would not do that.

No one can force it or no one can force anyone, especially Azerbaijan which is a country with strong economic potential, the country which is self-sufficient, the country which already proved that it can live, survive and successfully develop as an independent country. We want to create the modern country, modern Azerbaijan with rule of law, with full democratic institutions with criteria of political systems, social problems resolution and economic liberty close to the criteria of the European Union. I think that our relations with the European Union, particularly, on the neighborhood program and future relations on the Eastern Partnership will strengthen these positive trends. Thank you.

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