On Wednesday (11 March), the President of the European Council, António Costa, met with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in Baku to discuss the future of EU-Azerbaijan relations and regional developments.
In a joint press statement released after the meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the strategic importance of the EU-Azerbaijan partnership and expressed their commitment to deepening political dialogue and practical cooperation, particularly in the areas of security, energy and transport. They emphasised that the partnership contributes to peace, stability, connectivity and sustainable development across the wider Black Sea, South Caucasus and Central Asia regions.
The leaders reiterated that relations between the European Union and Azerbaijan are grounded in mutual respect, equality and shared benefit, and committed to the swift finalisation of negotiations on a new comprehensive bilateral agreement to strengthen the legal framework for cooperation.
Costa also reiterated the EU’s support for efforts by Azerbaijan and Armenia to achieve a sustainable peace through bilateral dialogue, welcoming recent momentum in the peace process.
The discussions also covered energy cooperation, regional connectivity, climate action, digital transformation, and closer cooperation in defence and security.
The leaders also exchanged views on current geopolitical developments, including the situations in Iran and Ukraine.
Source: commonspace.eu with the European Council
