Official Baku: EU declaration reflects issues important for Azerbaijan

The declaration reflects several issues important for Azerbaijan, including the EU's support for the territorial integrity of all partner countries, including Azerbaijan, within the framework of its internationally recognized borders. The completion of the Southern Gas Corridor project is commended in terms of its contribution, head of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press service Leyla Abdullayeva said, answering questions in media about Azerbaijan's reservations indicated in the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership summit.

The head of Foreign Ministry's press service said that the joint statement also called for global solidarity, increased cooperation, and multilateralism in preventing a pandemic and mitigating its consequences. This is in line with the priorities of Azerbaijan's chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement to combat COVID-19:

"The declaration includes several important issues for Azerbaijan: the EU has supported the territorial integrity of all partner countries, including Azerbaijan, within its internationally recognized borders. The document welcomes progress in negotiations on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU, as well as the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor that contributes to the diversification of gas supply routes to the EU," she said.

Abdullayeva noted that the joint declaration also calls for global solidarity, expansion of cooperation, and multilateralism to prevent a pandemic and mitigate its consequences.

"This corresponds to the priorities of our country's activities to combat COVID-19 as part of the chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement. Azerbaijan has always been against creating the Eastern Partnership program in a context of confrontation. This principle is reflected in the Joint Declaration itself. It is noted that the Eastern Partnership is based on constructive cooperation, and it is not directed against anyone. The position of our country is that the EU member states and partner countries should not bring challenges and difficulties in their relations with third countries into the Eastern Partnership program," Abdullayeva emphasized.

On the other hand, as the head of the Foreign Ministry's press service said, the Eastern Partnership program should serve the relations of the partner countries with the EU and the development of relations between them.

"The Eastern Partnership Program should not pursue policies that undermine the high-level relations established by partner countries with third countries outside of this program.

"Due to the discrepancy between the views expressed in the Joint Declaration on Belarus and the principles of Azerbaijan's foreign policy, Azerbaijan adopted a Joint Declaration with its own reservations. That is, Azerbaijan stated that it does not share the position on Belarus in paragraph 11," she said.