AZERBAIJAN IS IMPORTANT AND RELIABLE PARTNER OF EUROPE – GERMAN FM
Author: R.Abdullayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
Azerbaijan as an exporter of energy resources, as well as a country
which carries transit deliveries of energy products, greatly
contributes in the energy security of Europe. Therefore, Baku is an
important and reliable partner of Europe, said Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
the German Foreign Minister, to a news conference in Berlin. He was
commenting on the results of a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart
Elmar Mammadyarov, Trend reports citing Radio Liberty.
He noted that during the meeting they discussed bilateral cooperation,
in particular, the development of bilateral economic relationships
and integration of Azerbaijan in to the EU and NATO.
The sides also touched upon the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Steinmeier stressed the intensive development of the bilateral
relationships.
The German FM also voiced his hope in the soonest achievement of an
agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union under the New
Neighborhood Program. Mammadyarov noted that work in this direction
will be continued.
Speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Frank-Walter
Steinmeier noted that the unsettlement of the problems complicates the
integration of the region into the EU. The German Foreign Minister
called on the sides to compromises, needed for political resolution
of the conflict.
In his turn the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted that over the past
few weeks the goods turnover between the two countries has doubled.
Mammadyarov said that Germany is the biggest economic partner of
Azerbaijan in the West Europe.
In the end Mammadyarov announced that he will stay in Germany till
end of the week to watch the final round of the World Cup championship.