SPEECH OF PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION JOSE MANUEL BARROSO
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to welcome President Aliyev in Brussels again. Last time we met here in Brussels when we signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of energy. And today we had very good, very constructive and open meeting. I want to thank you for frankness, openness and spirit in our talk.
Azerbaijan is very important partner in the Southern Caucasus region. And I am convinced that intensifying of our cooperation will be essential benefits to both parties. Already 10 years of implementation of partnership and cooperation agreement constitutes a solid basis. European Union has become Azerbaijan`s main trade partner with nearly 30 percent of Azerbaijan`s overall external trade. Azerbaijan`s economy has constituted important grow figures in last years. This growth had 10, 8 percent in 2008 mainly due to oil and gas sector. But the current financial and economic crisis imposes challenge to this evolution and goes to all of us. And in this sense diversification of the economy is, of course, critical for Azerbaijan`s long term development. We agree that we can and we want to move forward in our relations. That was stressed in my meeting with Mr. Aliyev, and the Eastern Partnership that will be launched in few days in Prague, provides for that opportunity.
I have also urged the importance of making further progress on regional stability. I have also shared with him my ideas and ideas of European Commission regarding the situation of energy. We believe energy can be a very important factor for close relationship between the European Union and Azerbaijan. We share this view that we must strengthen our cooperation.
As you know, security is the top priority of European Union, and Azerbaijan is a key partner both as a producer and a transit country. And I very much want to thank President Aliyev for his analysis of the situation. I specifically discussed with President Aliyev Nabucco. This project is very important for the region and whole Europe. In this sense, I welcome the fact that Azerbaijan has taken difficult and courageous decisions in the energy policy. We think this is concrete field where European Union and Azerbaijan can have concrete benefits. So, our overall message is - yes, we want to work together with Azerbaijan in many fields. We welcome all steps made by Azerbaijan to have a closer relationship with Europe. And I think that is both in the interest of Azerbaijan and European Union as a whole.
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