Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met with the European Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan within the framework of his working visit to Brussels

The meeting was held in a constructive and mutually beneficial partnership atmosphere. The sides discussed the issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union (EU), as well as the negotiations on a new agreement to constitute the legal basis of bilateral relations.

Phill Hogan sincerely greeted the Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and expressed his confidence about the impetus the new agreement would give to raising the cooperation between the sides on a qualitatively new level.

In his turn, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov briefed his interlocutor on the current status of negotiations on the new agreement, including the issues that are still open to discussions between the sides.  

Commissioner Phil Hogan noted the importance of intensification of negotiations over the trade-related issues and suggested that the agreement is finalized before the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in June of this year and initialed at this Summit meeting.

Minister Elmar Mammadyarov underlined that the Azerbaijani side is for the continuation of negotiations in a constructive manner, based on equal rights and interests of both sides.

The sides also appreciated the contribution of the Southern Gas Corridor to European energy security and exchanged views on the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor and its further development through other projects.