Malena Mard on Azerbaijan-EU talks: "Both sides are resolute"

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Head of the EU mission in Baku Malena Mard has stated that both Azerbaijan and the European Union are ambitious and resolute in holding talks on new deal.

Last week, the EU representative of the European External Action Service, Luc Devin and Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Mahmud Mammadguliyev held intensive negotiations on the new agreement, she reminded while talking to APA.

“I think that the next stage of negotiations will be held soon, our goal is to work intensively, especially we are working at full speed ahead of the Eastern Partnership summit,” she said.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

The first meeting on a new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan was held in Brussels on February 7, 2017.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijan’s legislation and procedures with the EU’s most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods’ access to the EU markets.