European Union and Azerbaijan ahead of the Vilnius Summit

With only few days left until the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, and with a broad discussion about EU-Azerbaijani relations underway, now is a good time to set out our case for strengthening EU-Azerbaijani relations and deepening their political and trade dimensions through our neighbourhood policy in the framework of the Eastern Partnership (EaP), and bilaterally.

Let me share with you why we think Azerbaijan's participation in the Eastern Partnership and at the Vilnius summit matters and why we should all work to deepen relations.

First: Mutual benefits are at the core of our partnerships. The EU is working with its Eastern partners to bring them closer through political association, economic integration and enhanced mobility for citizens. Deepening political and trade relations and aligning our legislation to ensure similar or the same standards will bring strong and tangible benefits to citizens – and the wider region. The principle that underpins this effort is respect for each other’s choices. There are no zero-sum calculations. We believe in sovereign choices of nations and equality of relations and that the neighbours of our neighbours can also benefit from the increased political and trade links that we develop with partners.

Second: We are not using a one-size-fits-all approach. We do have a common toolbox but we always work to find tailor-made solutions with each of our partners based on their individual needs and ambitions. Each partner is unique and brings unique features to the relationship. Needless to say in the case of Azerbaijan, energy cooperation is of strategic importance and we are already seeing the concrete benefits of our joint efforts.  The Southern Gas Corridor is no longer a theoretical project on the drawing board. It is about to be realized, to the benefit of all involved. It will bring initially 10 billion cubic meters to Europe by 2019 and in the medium term cover more than 10% of our annual needs in Europe and thus contribute to our energy security, price stability, growth and jobs. This is in the best interest of Europe and Azerbaijan. But cooperation also goes far beyond energy alone.

Third: Our partnership is based on common values: democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. These values allowed members of the European Union to secure peace and prosperity after the Second World War and are now guiding the daily lives of European citizens. We want a real partnership based on a joint commitment to these values so that Azerbaijan's citizens can benefit from robust political rights and freedoms. Civil society has a key role to play in this respect in order to help transform and modernize society and build deep democracy and pluralism, with a healthy system of checks and balances, freedom of expression and guaranteed protection against a lack of transparency and accountability.

Fourth: We are conscious of the specific position of Azerbaijan in a region where conducting foreign policy is a delicate balancing act of cooperation with diverse neighbours, while dealing with external pressures and unsolved conflict.  In this context I believe the model the EU proposes has a lot to offer. It sets clear goals in different areas of cooperation but one principle applies to all: the greater the partners' ambition for cooperation and commitment to reform, the greater the EU's own commitment. We are likewise conscious of Azerbaijan's specific role in the Eastern partnership thanks to its traditional links with the Islamic world; we value the religious and cultural diversity that Azerbaijan brings to the table.

Fifth: Our policy and cooperation with neighbours are not mutually exclusive of other regional projects. For instance, we are keen to work on removing barriers and ultimately creating a future free trade area spanning from the Atlantic shores to the Pacific. Our approach is about removing barriers, not creating them. The Association Agreements go in this very direction and are designed to benefit not just us and our partners – but also the neighbours of our partners. 

Sixth: The Vilnius summit will provide a significant opportunity to take our relationship to a higher level. The signature of the Visa Facilitation Agreement with the signature of the Readmission Agreement to follow will make it much easier for citizens of Azerbaijan to travel in Europe and it will promote much more interaction with citizens of EU Member States. The Strategic Modernisation Partnership we are discussing may bring strategic elements to cooperation beyond the area of energy. Energy is an area where we already have a strategic partnership – and we are keen on engaging strategically also in other areas, good governance, modernisation and democratisation included.

Vilnius will also open new possibilities in economic cooperation, once Association Agreement negotiations are completed, impacting growth and jobs through modernisation of the economy. Trade links will be enhanced through upgraded transport connections and common regulatory standards. People and goods will move more easily through modernised border crossings. Promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources will contribute to a greener economy. Europe also has a lot of hard-earned experience with overcoming conflict – and is only happy to share the lessons it has learnt.

These are the reasons why Azerbaijan’s active participation in the Eastern Partnership and at the Vilnius summit is important. We are committed to making this cooperation mutually enriching. For Vilnius and beyond we will be as ambitious as our partners are willing to be, and we will deliver to the extent to which our partners are able to deliver on reforms. This includes continuing to develop the path towards democracy and the rule of law – for the benefit of citizens in our partner countries and for the benefit of a more stable and modernised region.