BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 12. The visit of
European Council President António Costa to Baku on March 11 gives
new impetus to the development of Azerbaijan-EU cooperation, the
political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.


"Costa's visit is an important political event in terms of the
development of relations between Baku and Brussels. Within the
framework of the visit, meetings were held with the President of
the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the parties first held
one-on-one and then in a large format. During the meetings, views
were exchanged on issues such as the state of existing cooperation
relations between Azerbaijan and the EU, partnership in the
economic and energy sectors, transport projects, regional security,
and the peace agenda in the South Caucasus.


Relations between Azerbaijan and the EU have been developing in
various directions for many years. This cooperation covers
political dialogue, economic relations, energy security, and
transport. The increase in high-level mutual visits and meetings
between the parties in recent years indicates that relations have
entered a more active stage. President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized
in his speech that special importance was attached to the visit of
the President of the European Council to Azerbaijan.


“We pay a very big importance to your visit," President Ilham
Aliyev said.


According to the head of state, this visit will play an
important role in further developing bilateral relations between
the parties," Garayev noted.


He pointed out that cooperation in the economic sphere is
considered one of the main directions of relations between
Azerbaijan and the EU.


"The European market ranks high in Azerbaijan's foreign trade,
and trade turnover between the parties is steadily increasing.
Azerbaijan's economic relations with Europe aren't limited to the
energy sector, but cooperation is also expanding in industry,
investment, and other areas. President Ilham Aliyev mentioned this
issue in his speech, highlighting that "this January, 50 percent of
our trade turnover was with the European Union." This indicator
shows that the European Union is one of the main economic partners
for Azerbaijan and reveals the potential for further expansion of
trade relations in the future," he said.


According to the analyst, the energy sector remains one of the
most important areas of cooperation between Azerbaijan and the
EU.


"Especially in recent years, against the backdrop of the
increasing relevance of the issue of energy security in Europe,
Azerbaijan's role has grown even more. By expanding its natural gas
exports, Azerbaijan has become one of the reliable partners of the
European market. Large energy projects such as the Southern Gas
Corridor are considered the main pillars of this cooperation and
play an important role in diversifying Europe's energy supply.
Touching upon the current situation regarding Azerbaijan's gas
exports to Europe in his speech, President Ilham Aliyev
said: "Today, 10 members of the European Union
receive gas from Azerbaijan, and the total number of countries is
16." This fact clearly demonstrates the strengthening of
Azerbaijan's position in the European energy market and its
contribution to Europe's energy security.


Another important area of ​​energy cooperation is the renewable
energy sector. Azerbaijan has been paying special attention to the
development of green energy projects in recent years. Projects
implemented in the field of solar and wind energy are aimed at
increasing the share of alternative sources in the country's energy
balance. Cooperation with international partners in this direction
is also expanding. Azerbaijan's goal is not only to meet domestic
energy needs, but also to expand export opportunities in the field
of renewable energy in the future. This creates new prospects for
cooperation with the EU," he said.


Garayev underscored that cooperation in the field of transport
and logistics was also in the spotlight during the meetings.


"Azerbaijan's geographical position makes the country one of the
important transit hubs between Europe and Asia. In this regard, the
development of international transport routes such as the Middle
Corridor is of particular importance. This route allows for faster
and more efficient implementation of trade relations between Europe
and Asia. Azerbaijan, as one of the main participants in this
project, contributes to the expansion of the region's transport
capabilities and plays an important role in strengthening logistics
ties between Europe and Asia.


In his speech, Costa also emphasized the importance of
cooperation with Azerbaijan and noted the importance of expanding
relations between the parties. According to him, Azerbaijan is an
important partner for the EU, and there are broad opportunities for
the development of cooperation in various fields. Costa said that
"The Republic of Azerbaijan is a key partner for the European
Union." This approach shows the importance that the European Union
attaches to relations with Azerbaijan," the analyst said.


According to him, regional security and the peace process in the
South Caucasus were also among the main topics discussed during the
visit.


"The Azerbaijani side emphasized the importance of ensuring
lasting peace and stability in the region. President Ilham Aliyev
noted in his speech: "There can be nothing better than peace.
Believe me, we know what it is like to live in a situation of war
or to be at war. So countries like ours value peace maybe more than
any other." These views show that Azerbaijan is a supporter of
long-term stability and cooperation in the region. At the same
time, Baku considers ensuring lasting peace in the South Caucasus
as a key condition for future development and security," he
said.


Garayev noted that, in general, Costa's visit to Azerbaijan
demonstrates the strengthening of relations between Baku and
Brussels.


"The expansion of cooperation in the fields of energy, economy,
transport, and security demonstrates the development of a strategic
partnership between the parties. The existing dialogue and projects
of mutual interest indicate that relations between Azerbaijan and
the European Union will deepen further in the future. This visit is
considered an important political event that shows that cooperation
between the parties will not only be maintained at the current
level, but will also be developed in new directions," he added.