Conclusies coöperatie-raad EU-Azerbeidzjan (en)

C/04/261

Brussels, 14 September 2004

12334/04 (Presse 261)

Press Release

EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council Sixth meeting, Brussels, 14 September 2004

The Cooperation Council between the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Azerbaijan held its sixth meeting on Tuesday 14 September 2004. The meeting was chaired by Mr Elmar Mammedyarov for Azerbaijan. The EU delegation was led by Mr Bernard Bot, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands. Mr Michael Leigh, Deputy Director General for External Relations, represented the Commission.

The Cooperation Council was the first meeting at this level between the EU and Azerbaijan since the EU enlarged to 25 Member States on 1 May 2004. The meeting came just over five years after entry into force, on 1 July 1999, of the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA). It therefore marked the half-way point in the initial 10 year period of the PCA.

This was also the first meeting of the Cooperation Council since the election of President Ilham Aliyev and his visit to Brussels on 18 May 2004. It marked the continuing good political dialogue between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The Cooperation Council provided a timely opportunity to discuss developments concerning the European Neighbourhood Policy and the South Caucasus, as well as political and economic reforms in Azerbaijan. The Cooperation Council also discussed energy issues, including prospects for strengthening energy cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The previous evening, Monday 13 September, a joint ministerial working dinner was held between the EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to discuss matters of regional interest. Mr Bot again represented the EU Presidency. He was accompanied by Mr Javier Solana Madariaga, High Representative for CFSP, and Mr Chris Patten, European Commissioner for External Relations.