Brussels, 02/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 April, European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle is visiting Azerbaijan in an effort to push forward bilateral cooperation as part of the European Neighbourhood Policy and its eastern dimension with the Eastern Partnership. During his meetings, inter alia with President Ilham Alijev, the president of the country's parliament, Ogtaz Asadov, and the foreign affairs minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, Füle is to emphasise the importance the EU attaches to its relations with Azerbaijan and the need to implement the objectives of the Eastern Partnership, including issues pertaining to democracy and human rights. He will also hold meetings with representatives from the opposition, civil society and human rights activists.
During his trip, the commissioner will also attend the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, which is made up of representatives from the European Parliament and parliamentarians from the five countries of the Eastern Partnership (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldavia and Ukraine). The second Euronest meeting will continue until 4 April and aims to promote political and economic integration between the EU and its eastern partners in the areas of energy, trade, democracy, human rights and the situation in Belarus. (CG/transl.fl)