On March 11, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev held an expanded meeting with President of the European Council Antonio Costa, during an official luncheon.

Axar.az reports during the conversation, they hailed the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union across various fields. In particular, they noted that dialogue on security, energy, and transport issues has been successfully advancing. The sides also touched upon the meetings held earlier in Azerbaijan within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and highlighted the importance of the discussions conducted in this format.

Azerbaijan’s contribution to Europe’s energy security as a reliable partner was emphasized, with its gas exports to ten European countries cited as part of this contribution.

The meeting also included discussions on transport, logistics, and connectivity, highlighting Azerbaijan’s important regional role in these areas. They underlined the importance of the TRIPP as part of the Middle Corridor. The sides also discussed the European Union’s participation in the restoration and reconstruction of the Nakhchivan railway line as a continuation of this project.

The participants exchanged views on the prospects for expanding trade relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union based on preferential tariff principles.

The progress made within the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia was also noted, with the European Union ready to contribute to advancing the peace process.

During the conversation, they also discussed prospects for cooperation in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the establishment of data centers.

At the end of the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Council Antonio Costa adopted a joint press statement.