Azerbaijan as an exporter of energy resources, as well as a country which carries transit deliveries of energy products, greatly contributes in the energy security of Europe. Therefore, Baku is an important and reliable partner of Europe, said Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, to a news conference in Berlin. He was commenting on the results of a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, Trend reports citing Radio Liberty.
He noted that during the meeting they discussed bilateral cooperation, in particular, the development of bilateral economic relationships and integration of Azerbaijan in to the EU and NATO. The sides also touched upon the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Steinmeier stressed the intensive development of the bilateral relationships.
The German FM also voiced his hope in the soonest achievement of an agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union under the New Neighborhood Program. Mammadyarov noted that work in this direction will be continued.
Speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted that the unsettlement of the problems complicates the integration of the region into the EU. The German Foreign Minister called on the sides to compromises, needed for political resolution of the conflict.
In his turn the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted that over the past few weeks the goods turnover between the two countries has doubled. Mammadyarov said that Germany is the biggest economic partner of Azerbaijan in the West Europe.
In the end Mammadyarov announced that he will stay in Germany till end of the week to watch the final round of the World Cup championship.