Baku, Azerbaijan, May 16
By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend:
Relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are developing intensively, Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev, Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister, said.
He made the remarks May 16 at an event dedicated to the Europe Day in Baku.
Mammad-Guliyev congratulated the EU ambassador and all the EU nations on the Europe Day.
"Azerbaijan is a member of the Eastern Partnership and we hope to strengthen our cooperation," noted the deputy minister.
"We believe the EU will contribute to the solution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he added.
Mammad-Guliyev thanked the EU for its support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
A groundbreaking ceremony for Trans Adriatic Pipeline will be held on May 17 in Thessaloniki, Greece, said the deputy FM, adding "we will continue to invest to ensure Europe's energy security."
"We continue the work on a new agreement on strategic cooperation and we hope Europe will soon express its stance on it and the sides will begin negotiations," added Mammad-Guliyev.
He also noted that Azerbaijan is waiting for a mandate for the negotiations on new strategic cooperation with the EU.
"The EU representatives came here, we exchanged views, then a video conference was held, and then they sent a number of written questions," said the deputy FM, adding it happened for the first time in the EU history that a country submits proposals to the EU, not the other way around.
"Therefore, it takes time," added Mammad-Guliyev. "I think the mandate will be issued soon and negotiations will begin."
Edited by EA
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