Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Mahmoud Mammadguliyev met with Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle in Brussels today. Commissioner stressed that domestic developments in Azerbaijan do have an impact on EU-Azerbaijani relations, APA reports quoting the EU press centre. He appreciated that the climate in bilateral relations improved but added that concerns remain about a number of issues on the domestic political scene in Azerbaijan, especially freedoms of assembly, expression and media.
The Azerbaijani side voiced an expectation for the partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan to assume a strategic dimension.
Commissioner Füle stressed that negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements have advanced very well and negotiations on an aviation agreement have seen progress since January 2013.
Commissioner Füle also emphasized the need for progress in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution process, stressing as crucial the sides’ restraint on actions and statements that could lead to an escalation.
Mahmoud Mammadguliyev is the head of Azerbaijani delegation in the negotiations on the Association Agreement between Azerbaijan and EU. The next round of negotiations will be held today in Brussels.
/APA/
