EU still has no mandate for association agreement talks with Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan's Deputy FM Mahmoud Mammadguliyev says that a mandate for negotiations should be endorsed to launch them.

“Simultaneously, expecting that we will start negotiations, the European Commission is ready to assist us with development of institutional and staff potential for holding talks and realization of the agreement. At the same time existing institutions involved in the process will be strengthened. Assistance will also cover realization of National Action Plan on European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and Eastern Partnership (EaP),” Mammadguliyev said.

Earlier when delivering speech at the meeting in the Centre for Strategic Studies under the Azerbaijani President, Ambassador Roland Kobia, head of the European Union delegation to Azerbaijan, claimed that  the European Commission will start Association Agreement negotiations with Azerbaijan within the framework of the European Partnership initiative in 2010.

“Terms of their holding have not been fixed. At the same time the European Commission has begun development of Comprehensive Institutional Capacity Building Programme for creation of potential for signing and realization of the Association Agreement in Azerbaijan. The Commission’s program making mission visited Baku last week and its primary draft of the program will appear in the next few years. EU assistance to the country’s government will reach about AZN 20 million,” Kobia said.

/Abc.az/