Belarus (bbabo.net), - Azerbaijan has always opposed the creation of the Eastern Partnership program in a confrontational context. This principle is reflected in the joint declaration itself, adopted at the end of the 6th EaP summit on December 15. This was stated in the evening of December 16 by the head of the press service of the republic’s foreign ministry Leyla Abdullayeva, answering a question from the media about Baku’s reservations made in the joint declaration of the summit.
“As you know, on December 15, 2021, the VI Eastern Partnership Summit was held in Brussels, following which a joint declaration was adopted. It includes a number of important issues for Azerbaijan: the EU has 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. 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, ”the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
It further expresses confidence that the EaP should not pursue policies that undermine the high-level relations established by partner countries with third countries outside of this program.
“Due to the discrepancy between the views expressed in the joint declaration on Belarus and the principles of Azerbaijani foreign policy, Azerbaijan adopted a joint declaration with its own reservations. That is, Azerbaijan stated that it does not share the position on Belarus in paragraph 11 (declaration). Another reservation of Azerbaijan concerned 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 in these territories upon request and with the consent of the country to which the territory belongs. This position is directly based on international law and the sovereign rights of states, ”Abdullayeva emphasized.
Let us recall that the Eastern Partnership launched in 2009 is an EU project aimed at developing integration ties with six former Soviet republics - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The program is seen as a “regional dimension of the European Neighborhood Policy”, which was initiated by Brussels in relation to its “new neighbors” after the next EU enlargement in 2004.
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