Baku hosts 15th meeting of EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
Baku, May 8, AZERTAC
The 15th meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee has kicked off at the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan.
The first day of the meeting focused on the current state of negotiations on comprehensive agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU, as well as the issues relating to political dialogue and reforms, economic cooperation, energy and transport in Azerbaijan.
In his opening remarks, Azerbaıjanı MP, co-chairman of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Javanshir Feyziyev hailed the intensive relations between the EU and Azerbaijani parliaments, which resumed in late 2016 after a one-year break.
Chairman of the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, member of the European Conservatives and Reformers Group, British MP Sajjad Karim praised the development of the EU-Azerbaijan relations, underlining the common challenges between Azerbaijan and the organization.
Deputy FM Mahmud Mammadguliyev described cooperation with the EU as the key priority for Azerbaijan. He highlighted the current state of negotiations on a comprehensive agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan.
Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia and OSCE at the European External Action Service (EEAS) Luc Devigne underlined the deepening of the EU-Azerbaijan relations, pointing to the positive changes which have taken place in Azerbaijan over the past 22 years. He described Azerbaijan as a strategic energy partner for the EU, as well as the most important partner in the Southern Gas Corridor project, which is of crucial importance to the diversification of gas sources and energy security of the EU. “We highly appreciate the stability in Azerbaijan and its political role in the region. Azerbaijan’s experience in tolerance and multiculturalism is also important. The European Union can take serious lessons from this experience,” Luc Devigne said.
Addressing the event, Azerbaijani President’s Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov noted that this month marks the centenary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic- the first parliamentary republic in the Muslim East. He highlighted the history of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
The Presidential Assistant drew the audience’s attention to the democracy and political pluralism existing in Azerbaijan.
Deputy Speaker of the Milli Majlis Valeh Alasgarov provided an insight into the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying regional disputes pose threat to cooperation. He underlined the importance of settling these conflicts in eliminating the threats.
