6/2/2017
Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
I am pleased to welcome President Aliyev to Brussels today.
Azerbaijan is an important partner for the European Union, whose independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity we support.
We want to build on our reliable and strategic partnership in the energy field. Azerbaijan is important for Europe's energy security and diversification of supplies. We have a shared commitment to finalise the Southern Gas Corridor; in fact it is a key priority for both sides.
The European Union is already Azerbaijan's main trading partner and one of its most important investors. We intend to expand these commercial relations further in the coming years. We discussed how our strengthened cooperation will help modernise and diversify the Azerbaijani economy. For Azerbaijan to also move forward in the WTO talks would pave the way for a competitive business environment that would drive our economic integration.
During our talks, I stressed the importance we attach to human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression. The EU believes that an open society is the best guarantee for long term stability and prosperity. We look forward to continuing to work as partners on these issues.
Azerbaijan acts as a bridge between cultures. This is very welcome in view of the challenges that we currently face in our common