EU Wants Agreement with Azerbaijan on Gas and to Participate in Karabakh Settlement

Baku/19.12.20/Turan: The European Union wants to conclude a new partnership agreement with Azerbaijan, including on gas purchases, as well as take part in the settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated this on Friday following a meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership Council.

"The EU wants to conclude a new ambitious and comprehensive cooperation agreement with Azerbaijan based on respect for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms. This will contribute to the diversification of the Azerbaijani economy and the development of our trade relations, and will also contribute to the development of our partnership in the broadest form," Borrell said "The EU is ready to support and form a long-term settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in close cooperation with the OSCE Minsk Group."

In turn, European Commissioner for Enlargement Oliver Vargeliy stressed the interest of the European Union in the development of gas cooperation with Azerbaijan. He once again recalled that Brussels expects to receive the first gas supplies from Azerbaijan through the Southern Gas Corridor by the end of this year, and noted that Brussels is studying the possibility of extending this gas transmission project to the Western Balkans.

According to the final statement, the meeting participants also discussed the reform process in Azerbaijan and the issues of human rights observance in this country, TASS reports. -0-