Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva has shed light on Azerbaijan’s reservations specified in the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit adopted in Brussels. She made the remarks in response to relevant media questions. “The position of our country is that the EU member states and partner countries should not introduce challenges and difficulties in their relations with third countries into the Eastern Partnership program,” she said. Abdullayeva underlined that on December 15, 2021, the Sixth Eastern Partnership Summit was held in Brussels, following which a joint declaration was adopted.
“The declaration includes a number of important issues for Azerbaijan: the EU supported the territorial integrity of all partner countries, including Azerbaijan, within its internationally recognized borders. The document welcomes progress in negotiations on a new agreement between Azerbaijan and the EU, as well as the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor project, which contributes to the diversification of gas supply routes to the EU,” she said. As Abdullayeva noted, the joint declaration also calls for global solidarity, increased cooperation and multilateralism in preventing a pandemic and mitigating its consequences. “This is in line with the priorities of our country in the fight against COVID-19 under the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement. Azerbaijan has always been against the creation of the Eastern Partnership program in a confidential context. This principle is reflected in the Joint Declaration itself. It is noted that the Eastern Partnership is based on constructive cooperation and is not directed against anyone,” Abdullayeva noted.
The spokesperson stressed that on the other hand, the Eastern Partnership program should serve not only the partner countries’ relations with the EU, but also the development of relations between them. “The Eastern Partnership program should not pursue policies that undermine high-level relationships established by partner countries with third countries outside of this program,” Abdullayeva said. Due to the discrepancy between the views expressed in the Joint Declaration on Belarus and the principles of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, Azerbaijan adopted a Joint Declaration with its reservations. That is, Azerbaijan stated that it does not share the position on Belarus in paragraph 11, Abdullayeva added. She noted that another reservation of Azerbaijan related to the “territories affected by the conflict” in the technical annex to the Joint Declaration. “Azerbaijan, in its reservation, stressed the need to carry out activities on these territories at the request and with the consent of the country to which the territory belongs.
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