19/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - CFSP High Representative Javier Solana, ensured the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, whom he met on Tuesday in Brussels, that the European Union would continue to support a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, within the framework of the OSCE "Minsk Group" consisting of France, Russia and the US (see EUROPE yesterday p 10) on the meeting with the Azeri president with the European Commission). According to a press statement from the CFSP High Representative, Solana considered that on this occasion the possible inclusion of Azerbaijan in the new EU neighbourhood policy could enable closer reciprocal relations. Solana and Aliyev also referred to energy related issues and underlined their intention to strengthen dialogue in this area. this visit was also the first by president Aliyev to the European institutions since his election in October 2003. The communiqué noted that the visit was preceded by the signing of a protocol on extending the partnership and cooperation agreement between the EU/Azerbaijan to the then new Union Member States.