Azerbaijan, Baku, 9 April / Trend, U.Sadikhova/
The European Union and Azerbaijan have discussed the prospects of strengthening and expanding cooperation and enhancing bilateral relations.
According to European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Füle, the relations between Azerbaijan and the EU should not be limited to the energy sector.
"I discussed with the Azerbaijani side the activities to be conducted in the future to bring closer and improve relations," Füle said to press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, during his first visit to Baku under his current mandate.
During his visit, Füle discussed the Eastern Partnership Program, which also involves Azerbaijan, as well as ways to "modernize Azerbaijan".
The Eastern Partnership envisages political and economic rapprochement between the EU and six post-Soviet countries - Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. The summit of the Eastern Partnership was held on May 7, 2009 in Prague.
The commissioner also touched on the upcoming parliamentary elections.
"I met with representatives of civil organizations, opposition and got acquainted with the position of a number of political parties, at the meetings, I stressed that the upcoming parliamentary elections must be open and free," he said.
Foreign Minister Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan is ready to consider proposals of OSCE on parliamentary elections, which will be acceptable to the country.