Baku, Azerbaijan, June 11
By Emin Aliyev - Trend:
Azerbaijan and the EU continue working on defining the format for future cooperation, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mamedguliyev told Trend on June 10.
"We need a more serious cooperation level, than an association agreement," he said. "So, I think that there will be no association agreement. We will conclude a comprehensive document in terms of cooperation with the EU."
"Perhaps, some provisions of the association agreement will be used in the work on the document," he said.
"The format of the future agreement is not unique," he added. "The EU has similar agreements with several countries. This document must reflect the positions of the parties and be more strategic."
"Along with the association agreement, Azerbaijan voiced an initiative to sign the agreement on strategic modernization partnership," he said.
"This issue is still relevant," he added. "We continue working. This document is a program, an action plan. It seeks to expand our cooperation with the EU beyond energy. The agreement will determine new areas of partnership, such as education and other areas. Many aspects have been agreed, but there are still issues on which we have to work."
Azerbaijan will continue cooperating with the EU on the basis of the agreement on partnership and cooperation signed in 1996 and entering into force in 1999 before a new agreement enters into force.
edited by CN