Relations between the EU and Azerbaijan should remain a priority despite the complex geopolitical situation, and expanding dialogue beyond official contacts is necessary for their development, Director General of the Egmont Institute for International Relations Bart Ouvry told Report.
"Azerbaijan is today in a challenging geopolitical environment, but this doesn't mean that the bilateral relations between the European Union and Azerbaijan should not be a priority and should not be looked at," he stated on the sidelines of the forum "Azerbaijan and the European Union: New Perspectives" in Brussels.
According to Ouvry, the institute facilitated the organization of the meeting because it considers it important to involve think tanks capable of offering unconventional approaches to the discussion of EU-Azerbaijan relations.
"We had a very good discussion where we looked at certain problems in these relations. But at the same time, we had some thinking about how we can improve this, how we can engage. I think this necessity is for both Europeans and Azerbaijani diplomats, but it is important to engage business people and the government in general. So working together to enhance relations, that's our job," he noted.
He also drew attention to the significance of Brussels as the capital of Belgium and one of the main centers of European institutions, which makes the city a suitable platform for such a dialogue.