I.Aliyev: The European Union is our priority

Baku / 05.10.17 / Turan: Relations with the European Union are a priority for Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with the EU ambassadors accredited in Brussels to Baku on Wednesday. Aliyev confirmed his participation at the upcoming EU Eastern Partnership summit in November. "I received an invitation from President Tusk in February, and said that I would definitely take part in the summit. Azerbaijan from the very beginning supported the program "Eastern Partnership". I personally attended the first Summit on Eastern Partnership and took part in all summits, except for the last. And today there is no reason to bypass this important meeting," Aliyev continued.

"We are a modern independent country with broad opportunities, living at its own expense, providing itself in terms of politics, security, economic and financial resources," Aliyev said.

He drew attention to the fact that the two countries of the "Eastern Partnership" are participating in the Eurasian Economic Union, the other three have signed the Association Agreement with the EU.

"And the remaining one country - Azerbaijan is currently working on a partnership agreement. Therefore, the application of a more individual approach to countries from the very beginning was the basis of our position. Unfortunately, at the time of the previous European commissions, our approach was not received positively. On the contrary, sometimes we were attacked. We were accused as a party requiring some special arrangement. This is not so,"Aliyev said.

He spoke in favor of the soonest signing of a new agreement with the EU, which will open a new page in the relations of the parties.

"We hope that with the new agreement, including all important issues such as security, political development, trade, energy, transport, multiculturalism, we will achieve a successful development of relations with the European Union," Aliyev said. 06D-