Azerbaijani FM, EU Commissioner discuss bilateral cooperation in Munich

Baku, February 18, AZERTAC Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has met with EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The sides discussed cooperation in the political, economic, trade, transport, energy, humanitarian and other spheres between the European Union and Azerbaijan. Elmar Mammadyarov recalled the visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Brussels in February 2017, stressing that this visit was of particular importance for the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union. The FM said Azerbaijan welcomes the support for territorial integrity and sovereignty within the internationally recognized borders of all partner countries, including Azerbaijan in the Final Communique of the EU Eastern Partnership Brussels Summit. Mammadyarov briefed Johannes Hahn on the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan to be held on April 11 this year. The negotiations on the Partnership Agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union was also discussed at the meeting. The sides exchanged views on energy cooperation and stressed the successful holding of the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council held in Baku on February 15. The importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the East-West transport corridor in general were emphasized as part of the cooperation in the field of connectivity and transport. Establishing a dialogue mechanism between the EU and Azerbaijan in the field of security and transport, along with energy issues, was considered as a positive step. Minister Elmar Mammadyarov informed the interlocutor about the current negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and noted that the Armenia's troops should be withdrawn from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in accordance with the demands of the UN Security Council resolutions to change the existing status quo based on occupation and to achieve progress in political settlement of conflict. The sides also exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest.