Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
June 25 2005

EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY DISCUSSED IN BAKU
[June 25, 2005, 12:43:24]

Conference on a theme `European Neighborhood Policy’ was held on June
24 at the Hyatt-Regency-Nakhchivan hotel, reported AzerTAj. The
conference organizers have discussed the New Neighborhood Policy of
the European Union and Azerbaijan’s participation in the policy.

The purposes of the event are to raise public awareness of the ENP
challenges and opportunities. The Azerbaijani society should be fully
informed on the European neighborhood policy within the prepared
Action Plan, told speakers at the event. Deputy economic development
minister Mikail Jabbarov and British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Laurie
Bristow have emphasized the necessity of the Action Plan on the
EU-Azerbaijan relationship enhance. It is expected that EU-Azerbaijan
rapprochement will have a positive influence on settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, strengthening of
economic development and democratic institutions, as well as
successful implementation of the poverty reduction problem. Alongside
with these strengthening of relations with EU allows to restore a
stabile situation in the region.

It is noted particularly that Azerbaijan’s government is interested
in development of relationship with the European Union. Therefore, on
June 1 President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has issued Decree on the
State Commission for integration with the European Union. Moreover,
on April 25 on the European Union recommendation March 2,2005 was
decided to formulate an action plan, preparation of that is underway.