The European Union is carrying out the final round of talks on the Azerbaijani association deal, the head of the EU delegation for association to Azerbaijan John Caer said in Baku, Trend reports.
Caer’s delegation arrived in Baku on October 7 to discuss association. His department operates within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. This concerns the Eastern European and South Caucasian states of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine.
Polish Ambassador Mikhael Labenda discussed association of Eastern European and South Caucasian states with the EU and the Eastern Partnership program earlier.
The project is aimed at speeding up political association and economic integration with the EU. The Eastern Partnership is based on common values and principles of freedom, democracy, human rights and primacy of law. Partner states will gain economic income, expand trade with goods and services, improve potential of investment flows and progress in economic integration.
The latest summit in Warsaw clarified the schedule for the Eastern Partnership. Strengthened reforms meet the interests of the EU and its partners. The summit also recognized the choice of partners to build a stable democracy.
The summit confirmed the expectations of the European Commission for establishment of a European financial instrument of neighbourhood, reflecting a new level of ambitions. The participants at the summit called for cooperation with specialized EU structures operating in the spheres of liberty, security and justice. They also agreed on cooperation through co-financing.
Some states passed additional programs, enforcing the existing ones. The Estonian center of the Eastern Partnership concentrates on administrative opportunities. Some new initiatives were announced within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, such as the Polish Academy of State Administration in Warsaw. It has already been launched and some Azerbaijani participants are to join it.
Concerning association, the EU is publishing its latest developments, norms and values simultaneously with the opening of the enormous European market.
The partnership is based on an overwhelming reform program and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), if necessary. The EU hopes for conclusion of talks at the EU-Ukrainian summit in December 2011.
Progress on association with Moldova and negotiations with Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia were achieved, Labenda concluded.
