Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
May 18 2004

WORKING VISIT OF AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV TO THE KINGDOM OF
BELGIUM
SPEECH OF MR. ROMANO PRODI, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
[May 18, 2004, 22:35:51]

First, I would like to tell that this was the first visit of
President Ilham Aliyev to Brussels, to the European Union and I am
rather pleased with this meeting. I would like with great pleasure to
say that today we discussed common goals and common affairs. We had
frank discussions. It was first connected to the “Neighborhood
policy” program. As you know, after long discussions, the European
Union has included three South Caucasian countries to its
“Neighborhood policy” program. And this means deep, increasing
cooperation strategy. It is evident this is an economic-political
cooperation. These are long distant negotiations to come up to our
institutions, political values, respect for rights and common
political strategy.

Thus, Azerbaijan’s acceptance to the membership of friends is very
pleased. I can say this was only the starting meeting. From now on, a
new phase of these relations begins. This also means that we support
the steps Azerbaijan makes for admission to the World Trade
Organization. Henceforth, working shoulder-by shoulder, we shall
develop of cooperation in the field of foreign trade. WE shall
cooperate in the power field.

In the second half of our meeting, we deeply analyzed and discussed
the Nagorny Karabakh problem. We are concerned that it is for more
than ten years the problems delays and has not been settled in peace
way. There is no peace for over ten years. It is obvious that we do
not want to interfere with the affairs of the Minsk Group. But we
persuadably insist and exert pressure that this Group gained certain
result. Expressing my desire and will, I stated that we are at
disposal of both countries. We stand ready to render any assistance
to the Minsk Group in settlement of the problem. It is because that
if we call friends, then, all the countries in this camp should be
real friends. There should not be problems harming the friendship.
There must be economic and political cooperation. Thank you.