Officials cautious, but media heralding end of crisis in EU-Azerbaijan relations, says Eurasianet

Azerbaijani media outlets are characterizing a recent visit to Baku by the EU’s top foreign policy official as a “landmark event” during which Brussels demonstrated a desire to “abandon previous stereotypes and recognize Azerbaijan as a key partner”, Eurasianet writes.

As noted, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, held talks with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and other top officials on April 25. Official statements from both sides arising out of those discussions contained the usual pleasantries and acknowledgements, but did not signal any significant deals were in the offing.

A statement issued by Kallas’ office did contain one intriguing nugget, however. “I am also happy to say that we agreed to resume our negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and Azerbaijan,” the statement said.

It was not until the weekend when the fanfare started blaring in Baku, with state-connected media outlets characterizing Kallas’ visit as a breakthrough, erasing years of rancor generated by differences over the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the EU’s criticism of Azerbaijan’s rights abuses and haggling over natural gas supplies.

The website notes that details about whatever Kallas and her Azerbaijani interlocutors agreed to in Baku remain hazy, but the talks appeared to clarify the future Azerbaijan’s role as a natural gas supplier to the EU. Aliyev had assailed the EU earlier in April for dragging its feet on the expansion of Southern Gas Corridor to handle a planned expansion of Azerbaijani gas supplies.