Baku expects a mandate from the Council on Foreign Relations of the European Union for the beginning of formal negotiations on the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Azerbaijan. This agreement will create a strong legal basis for comprehensive development of the relations, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at an informal meeting of EU member states and the Eastern Partnership in Bratislava on September 3.
According to him, Azerbaijan is ready to engage in dialogue with the EU, taking into account mutual interests on many issues, including the project Southern Gas Corridor.
Development of long-term relations with EU member states, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, is one of the directions of Azerbaijan's foreign policy, Mammadyarov stressed.
According to him, the visit of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini to Baku earlier this year has given new dynamics to the relations of Azerbaijan with the European Union.
Activation of the bilateral relations is expected in the coming months, including the inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Members of the Parliamentary Cooperation Committee will visit Baku in September. The visit of the Working Group on Eastern Europe and Central Asia is also expected.
However the Minister noted the conflicts not resolved in the region impede cooperation. Mammadyarov underlined that the territorial integrity and inviolability of borders of Azerbaijan is no less important than the territorial integrity of other member countries of the Eastern Partnership. In his view, the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan will serve to strengthen EU cooperation in the South Caucasus and beyond. -06D--
Politics
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The Baku Court of Grave Crimes ended today the preparatory hearing on the case of the first-group disabled person, paralyzed activist Famil Khalilov.
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On September 11, the Baku Court of Appeal heard the appeal of Hafiz Babali, the economics editor at Turan News Agency, against the newspaper "Iki Sahil." The appeal was filed in response to a May 13 decision by the Khatai District Court, which rejected Babali's lawsuit against the newspaper. The lawsuit was initiated due to unfounded accusations and defamation published by the newspaper in an article dated December 28, 2023. The article claimed that "Hafiz Babali had established contacts with foreign funds and conducted investigations and prepared articles on their behalf."
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At a meeting on September 12, the Central Election Commission (CEC) found no violations in the parliamentary elections held on September 1 at seven polling stations in the 33rd Khatai First Electoral District. The complaint was filed by Natig Jafarli, a parliamentary candidate and member of the political committee of the REAL party. In this district, the CEC considers Zahid Oruj, the head of the Center for Social Research and a member of the previous parliament, to be the leading candidate.
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France has condemned the "arbitrary and overtly discriminatory treatment" of French citizen Théo Clerc in Azerbaijan, who has been sentenced to three years in prison for graffiti in the metro. Meanwhile, two other defendants involved in the same actions were sentenced only to fines, according to a statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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