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Azerbaijan, EU begin talks on associative agreement - PHOTOSESSION

Azerbaijan, EU begin talks on associative agreement - <font color=red> PHOTOSESSION</font>

16 July 2010 08:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Elnur Mammadli â€“ APA. The Republic of Azerbaijan and the European Union began talks on the associative agreement. According to APA, representatives of the European Union and the government of Azerbaijan attended the first plenary meeting. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Mahmoud Mammad-Guliyev called the agreement as an important step in the Azerbaijan-EU relations and said it rested great responsibility on Azerbaijan. The deputy minister emphasized that the European Union has an opportunity to participate in establishing the peace and stability in the region and in the process of settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and these issues will be reflected in the agreement.

Head of the EU delegation John Cryer said this agreement showed EUâ€™s interest in deepening of relations with Azerbaijan: â€œWe are attaching special importance to possible close relations with our eastern neighbors beginning from the last year. We will focus on making the relations to come close, as well as democracy, human rights and market economy. A number of partners, organizations have to participate in this process and to do a fundamental work. I believe a good job will be based on mutual confidence. The European Union is creating all conditions for beginning of discussions on the associative agreementsâ€.

Mahmoud Mammad-Guliyev told journalists that the associative agreement is a new legal document: â€œEarlier we have prepared an agreement on partnership and cooperation with the European Union in 1995. This agreement has already done its duties and it needs to replace it with a new legal document. We have not received information about the EUâ€™s proposals yet and probably the proposals will be submitted to Azerbaijan during this event. The subjects are clear for us. This agreement is a legal basis for our relationsâ€. Mammad-Guliyev noted that the process of coordination of the Azerbaijani and EU legislations will be continued. â€œThe economic legislation was already being coordinated with the EU legislationâ€.