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Catherine Ashton: â€œAzerbaijan is a very important partner for the European Unionâ€ - PHOTOSESSION

Catherine Ashton: â€œAzerbaijan is a very important partner for the European Unionâ€ - <font color=red>PHOTOSESSION </font>

15 November 2011 15:47 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan is ready for cooperation with the European Union and we would like to expand this cooperationâ€, said Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov at the briefing held jointly with First Vice-President of the European Commission, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, APA reports.

Minister said that at the meeting with Ashton, he informed the guest about the current situation on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. According to him, they also discussed the issues on energy security.

Ashton congratulated Azerbaijan on victory in Eurovision-2011 contest and its election as a non-permanent member to the UN Security Council: â€œI hope that Azerbaijan will turn into very prestigious and important country of the UN Security Councilâ€.

Ashton said that Azerbaijan was a very important energy partner for the EU: â€œAzerbaijan is a country which increased its strength in the region and the UNâ€,

High Representative also underlined that her visit to Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus was an indicator of importance of cooperation of her organization with this region.

Speaking about the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ashton said that the role of the EU in settlement of Nagorno Karabakh problem is different in comparison with the OSCE Minsk Group: â€œBut the European Union supports the activity of the Minsk Group. We touched the Karabakh problem at the meeting with Minister Mammadyarov. May be it will be necessary to organize the events which will increase confidence between the sides. We have discussed it at todayâ€™s meetingâ€.