Estonian Foreign Minister: We highly value Azerbaijan’s role in enhancing the EU energy security

Kyiv. 18 September. REPORT.AZ/ “We value highly Azerbaijan’s role in enhancing the energy security of the EU”.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia Sven Mikser, currently presiding at the Council of the European Union of Estonia, has told Report, commenting on Azerbaijan's participation in the Eastern Partnership program.

“Each partner country advances their relations with the EU in the framework of this Partnership based on their level of ambition and sovereign choice. The EU has an accordingly differentiated offer - ranging from Association Agreement to framework agreements. We are looking forward to upgrading our relations and develop them to their full potential through a new bilateral agreement.

There is a positive trend in EU-Azerbaijan relationship. We value highly Azerbaijan’s role in enhancing the energy security of the EU. The deepening of Azerbaijan’s relations with the EU is largely dependent on the human rights situation - something that the EU keeps a close eye upon”, S. Mikser said.

Commenting on the issue of preparation for the forthcoming Eastern Partnership summit in November, the Estonian Foreign Minister stated that this program is a strategic foreign policy objective of the European Union, as stability in the region and sovereign choice of the partners is in the interest of the development and security of the Eastern Partnership Countries. “EaP is also a priority for Estonia, even outside our current Presidency of the Council of the European Union”, S. Mikser said.

Estonian Foreign Minister said in the run-up to the summit, Estonia with its own activities supports the cooperation between the EU and the Eastern Partner countries in concrete ways. “We organize four ministerial events – in Justice and Home Affairs (tackling corruption and addressing border management), transport (looking at ways to secure the completion of the TEN-T road network by 2030), digital economy (enabling the EaP companies’ better participation at the Digital Single Market) and foreign relations (discussing a united response to shared hybrid threats).

We also engage the civil society and business community, as the contacts and interaction in these areas are key for the societal development”.

S. Mikser said the invitation to participate at the Summit will be sent in due course: “We as Presidency hope for a participation at the highest level, and I hope that President Alijev will attend”.

Commenting on the question whether the issue of the occupied territories of the countries participating in the program will be discussed during the Eastern Partnership summit, S. Mikser stated: “The EaP focus areas - institution building, economic development and trade opportunities, energy and environmental protection, and people-to-people contacts - are geared towards strengthening partner countries. Peace and stability are core values of the EU, and we continue to support the international conflict resolution formats”.