Kallas, Aliyev discuss EU-Azerbaijan ties

PanARMENIAN.Net - European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas, who traveled to Baku after visiting Yerevan, held talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on EU-Azerbaijan “reliable partnership,” the TRIPP project and the peace process with Armenia.

According to Azertag, Kallas highlighted the importance of the joint statement adopted during European Council President Antonio Costa’s visit to Azerbaijan, which emphasized the strategic nature of relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union.

Kallas stressed that Azerbaijan is an important partner for the EU. Aliyev noted, in turn, that Azerbaijani gas supplies had recently begun reaching two additional EU member states — Germany and Austria.

The talks also addressed the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“It was noted that trade and economic ties have already been formed between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and in this context it was emphasized that Azerbaijan had unilaterally lifted restrictions on the transit of cargo bound for Armenia,” the statement said.

Aliyev’s participation via video link in the 8th summit of the European Political Community held in Yerevan was described as a “historic event.”

Aliyev also thanked the European Union for its support to Azerbaijan in the field of demining. The sides noted that the launch of the TRIPP project would create favorable opportunities for regional connectivity.

The Azerbaijani president and the EU foreign policy chief also discussed prospects for broader cooperation and other issues of mutual interest.

During his video address to the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Aliyev criticized the European Parliament, saying Azerbaijan’s “territorial integrity is as valuable as that of any other country” and calling double standards unacceptable. According to him, the European Parliament is “undermining the peace process instead of supporting it.”

The European Parliament earlier adopted a resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s unlawful detention of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages, calling for their immediate and unconditional release. The resolution also stressed that lasting peace must be based on respect for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.