The new EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus is currently on his first visit to the region after his recent appointment. In Baku he was received by President Ilham Aliev who congratulated him on his appointment. The Azerbaijani President said that the relations between the European Union and regional countries had enetered into a new stage of development. He expressed his confidence that this co-operation would continue to expand.
The two sides exchanged views on the development of relations in various spheres, and particularly on the settlement of the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.
Phillipe Lefort was until recently a carreer French diplomat, with extensive experience of work in the Caucasus Region. He was appointed in August as European Union Special Representative to the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia. The previous EUSR to the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, ended his mission in February. Mr Lefort is expected to visit Armenia and Georgia in the coming days.
source: www.president.az with additional reporting from the commonspace.eu newsroom
picture: courtesy of the Press Service of the President of Azerbaijan.
