Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by Toivo Klaar, European Union Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Azerbaijani media reported.

Quoting the official website of the Azerbaijani President, Azerbaijani media report that during the meeting Aliyev stressed the successful development of relations and constructive dialogue between Azerbaijan and the EU. He said he is in a regular dialogue with EU Council President Charles Michel and welcomed his contribution to Azerbaijan-EU relations and the normalization of Azerbaijani-Armenian ties.

Expressing satisfaction with the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the EU, Klaar said Michel has been an important supporter of the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. He expressed a hope that negotiations on the new EU-Azerbaijan cooperation agreement will be completed soon. According to Aliyev, the participation of two EU commissioners in the recent Baku meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council is an expression of the importance given by the EU to relations with Azerbaijan.

Aliyev highlighted the importance of the meeting with the Armenian Prime Minister held in December on the initiative of Charles Michel. Referring to the significance of the Brussels agenda, he stressed the importance of discussions and practical work in this regard.

Ilham Aliyev said he had given instructions to the relevant structures to conduct intensive negotiations on the new agreement with the EU and conclude them soon.

Azerbaijani President highlighted the significance of the Armenian side's constructive attitude following the Brussels meeting last year and the February 4 meeting of the Quartet format initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron in determining the fate of the missing and the sites of their mass graves during the First Karabakh War. During the meeting there was an exchange of views on the restoration of communications between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the delimitation of borders and other issues of principle.