EC: EU expects agreement and adoption of new partnership priorities with Baku

The EU is looking forward to adopting new Partnership Priorities with Azerbaijan, in the course of next year, the European Commission press service said in a statement to Report.

"Regarding EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, we are looking forward to adopting new Partnership Priorities with Azerbaijan, in the course of next year. The EU also stands ready to resume negotiations on a new bilateral agreement with Azerbaijan. Both documents will serve to update and enhance our partnership," the EC said.

According to the statement, the Strategic Agenda for the EU-Armenia Partnership reflects the close relations between Armenia and the EU: "It was negotiated bilaterally between the two sides since 2024 and adopted by the EU Council."

Meanwhile, the EC did not comment on the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's statement that the inclusion of issues "targeting Azerbaijan" in a bilateral EU–Armenia agenda for the next seven years is "unacceptable" and negatively affects prospects for Azerbaijan–EU relations.

Azerbaijan MFA argues that including issues "targeting Azerbaijan" in a bilateral EU–Armenia agenda for the next seven years is "unacceptable" and negatively affects prospects for Azerbaijan–EU relations.

Furthermore, the EU did not provide a concrete answer to the question of regional connectivity and large-scale transport infrastructure projects – the Middle Corridor and the Trump Route (TRIPP).

"While the details regarding the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) initiative still need to be agreed, the EU continues to offer its support and expertise to complement the practical implementation of the agreements reached," reads the statement.

"The EU is also advancing a Cross-Regional Connectivity Agenda which aims to strengthen transport links, improve trade flows, and build a more resilient, sustainable, and interconnected region. We are ready to mobilise support for Azerbaijan and Armenia on hard and soft connectivity. The EU will also continue discussions with both countries to identify further areas of support and cooperation in view of the full-fledged normalisation of their relations," the EC said.

"The EU has been very clear in showing its strong support to the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. We have been working for years with both parties and international partners to create conditions for lasting peace. The EU has welcomed the historic milestone reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia at the Washington Peace Summit and will continue its ongoing efforts in support of the peace process. The EU is in close contact with both countries on how we can best contribute to sustaining the peace and the implementation of the landmark agreements reached in Washington on 8 August," the EC told Report.

Regarding the inclusion of a clause in the Strategic Agenda on the need to implement decisions of the International and European Courts, the EC emphasized that this is not about "encouraging new claims." This concerns previously adopted decisions, and the need to implement them applies to both parties, Brussels noted.

Report notes that these statements by the EC press service do not stand up to scrutiny: a bilateral document between Armenia and the EU cannot contain instructions for action for a third party that is not a party to the agreement.

Furthermore, in response to Report's inquiry, the EU was unable to provide a clear explanation as to why, almost a month after its signing, the document (on the EU-Armenia Strategic Agenda - ed.) has still not been made public by Brussels.

In an informal comment, Report's sources in the EC said that the Armenian Foreign Ministry "rushed to publish the document" because it soon approached its European partners with a request to make "some adjustments." The sources added that until the final version of the document is agreed upon, it will not be published in the Official Journal of the EU.