FM MEETS WITH EU TROIKA DELEGATION

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Oct 3 2006

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met October 3 with
the delegation of the European Union troika.

At the press conference following the meeting, Mr. Mammadyarov said
Azerbaijan and the EU have already ended the Action Plan-related
talks within the European Neighborhood Policy.

The Minister said the document would be adopted at the EU-Azerbaijan
Cooperation Council’s meeting in the Belgian capital Brussels on
November 14.

Mr. Mammadyarov said his meeting with the EU troika delegation
included discussions over the issues concerning the Action Plan,
adding this document will deepen the Azerbaijan-EU ties.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, in his turn, said the
Action Plan will enhance the cooperation between the European Union
and Azerbaijan.

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood
Policy Mrs. Benita Ferrero-Waldner stressed the importance of the
document to Azerbaijan in terms of integration into the European Union.

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The same day, the EU troika delegation gave a press conference in the
"Park INN-Azerbaijan" Hotel to sum up their visit.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said the main goal of the
visit to the South Caucasus was to end the Action plans-related talks
with the region’s countries.

On the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagrono-Karabakh, Mr. Tuomioja
said it is the OSCE Minsk Group which is responsible for settlement
of this dispute, adding "we support their activity".