Details added (first version posted on 13:18)
Baku, Azerbaijan, March 15
By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:
The European Union will continue to have exploratory talks on the new bilateral agreement with Azerbaijan, head of the EU Delegation in Azerbaijan, Malena Mard, told reporters in Baku March 15.
She noted that the EU and Azerbaijan had exploratory talks during the visit of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and agreed to continue to build on this agreement.
This is a precondition from the EU side to ask for a mandate from the EU Council to be able to start formal negotiations on the new bilateral agreement with Azerbaijan, according to Mard.
Currently, bilateral relations between the EU and Azerbaijan are regulated on the basis of the partnership and cooperation agreement which was signed in 1996 and entered into force in 1999.
The new agreement envisages bringing Azerbaijan's legislation and procedures closer to the most important international and trade standards of the EU. This process is meant to improve the access of Azerbaijani products to the EU markets.
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