Ilham Aliyev received European Union delegation

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar.

Toivo Klaar expressed the EU’s keenness to positively contribute to the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

President Ilham Aliyev hailed the European Commission leadership and some of its commissioners’ public statements regarding the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of international law, unsustainability of the current status-quo, continuation of the negotiations in the existing format, and the unacceptability of putting forward conditions in negotiations. The President said Azerbaijan supports this.

The head of state noted that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be settled on the basis of the principles and norms of international law within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions, adding that the format of negotiations cannot be changed.

Describing Azerbaijan as the most interested party in the soonest fair settlement of the conflict, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the liberation of the occupied lands has always been the crucial component of the negotiation process.

The head of state underlined that the controversial official statements made by the Armenian side are unacceptable and undermine the negotiation process. He said it is necessary that the international community take this into serious consideration and convey targeted statements to Armenia.

The sides also exchanged views on the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union in various fields, and Azerbaijan’s involvement in Eastern Partnership program.