Azerbaijan, as an island of stability in a region under pressure, deserves special attention from the European Union (EU).

Axar.az reports this was stated by former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme during his speech at a panel discussion held within the XIII Global Baku Forum.

He noted that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the country has significant potential for economic development.

“Over the past 15–20 years, Azerbaijan has achieved remarkable progress. We must understand that it is necessary to earn Azerbaijan’s attention. We owe it to respect Azerbaijan as a partner with whom dialogue is essential,” he said.

Leterme emphasized that the EU should respect Azerbaijan as a partner with whom dialogue is necessary:

“For example, when we interfere in the internal affairs of a country like Azerbaijan and pass resolutions, we must realize that we are closing the doors for future negotiations.”

He added that after such interventions, attempting to secure new agreements on energy supply is also ineffective:

“For years, on one hand, we interfere in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs, and the next day we come and ask, ‘Can you sell us more gas?’ This is a typical European approach in a world where interests outweigh values — and it does not work.”