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Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received the new head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Malena Mård, according to the Foreign Ministry.
During the meeting, the signing of agreements on visa facilitation between Azerbaijan and the EU has been characterized as the beginning of a new stage of relations between the sides and a hope was expressed that the negotiations on the signing of relevant bilateral documents will be completed successfully.
Malena Mård said that the organization, represented by her, sees Azerbaijan as a strategic partner, appreciates the role that Azerbaijan plays in ensuring the energy security of the EU, and is interested in expanding cooperation in various fields.
Regarding the prospects of further cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU, Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic area is one of the priorities of the country’s foreign policy, and at the same time he noted that preservation of Azerbaijan’s national interests is principal in the development of relations with the EU.
Speaking on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the minister said both international organizations and the EU should make a real contribution to the settlement and take a fair position in resolving this conflict.
The minister also stressed that the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a major obstacle to development of the region’s countries, as well as, for regional and interregional integration.
