Azerbaijan: Snap elections are coming – and a new generation of politicians

The expected snap parliamentary elections will likely launch a new democratic era in Azerbaijan, giving the voters a further possibility to advance the reform process, writes Dr. Ceyhun Osmanli.

What should the EU do about South Caucasus? Here are some proposals

It appears the South Caucasus is not a foreign policy priority of the new European Commission. But it should be, write Dennis Sammut and Amanda Paul.

Azerbaijan ‘discourages’ human traffickers

Azerbaijan is unlikely to become a transit country for illegal migration because the authorities have “discouraged” international human trafficking rings from taking this route, Vusal Huseynov, the chief of the State Migration Service of Azerbaijan, told EURACTIV.

Erdogan thanks Orban for ‘support at the international stage’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met in Baku on Tuesday (15 October), on the fringes of the Turkic Council, a group of countries speaking the same family of languages, which Hungary wants to join.

Global Eurasia – Connectivity as a driver for peace, stability & security

In the Caucasus Region, power has traditionally been a complex mix of countries’ geography, resources, military capabilities and economic importance. Yet trade and trading routes are often underestimated as a driver for security and stability.

East-West corridor: ‘Hard’ versus ‘soft’ connectivity?

A conference organised by EURACTIV on ‘Global Eurasia – connectivity as a driver for peace, stability and security’ raised questions such as “greener” connectivity, in line with Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen’s priorities. But diplomats from the region were more focused on infrastructure.

Ambassador: ‘We should be more creative’ in finalising Azerbaijan-EU trade deal

It took 20 years for the EU and Mercosur to sign a trade agreement. “We don’t want to wait that much,” says the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the EU, urging the European Commission to drop its “bureaucratic matrix” thinking. "We don't hide our names," he insists.

Turkmenistan should promote the Trans-Caspian Pipeline more actively

Iran and Russia are opposing the implementation of the Trans-Caspian project, which is supported by Azerbaijan and is in the EU’s interest, writes Shahnar Hajiev.

Juncker Commission still hopes to finalise agreement with Azerbaijan

The Juncker Commission still hopes that it could conclude a new trade and political agreement with Azerbaijan in the next two months, provided that Baku moves forward on the trade part of the text, sources have told EURACTIV.

Mogherini: ‘Inshallah, EU and Azerbaijan will soon finalise their agreement’

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini expressed hope on Thursday (4 April) that the EU and Azerbaijan would conclude a new trade and political agreement very soon, using the Arabic expression Inshallah (God willing).

EU undisturbed over conflicting Nagorno-Karabakh messages

Conflicting messages about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have been aired in recent days: "Territories for peace" and a “new war for new territories”.  But the European Union made it clear it trusted the messages of peace.

Puppet policy won’t solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

The recent assertions by the Armenian Prime Minister to involve the illegal puppet regime established in the seized lands of Azerbaijan, in the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations, can only paralyse the whole process, writes Hikmat Hajiev.

Armenia PM: Nagorno-Karabakh talks must include ‘Republic of Artsakh’

Armenia and Azerbaijan’s frosty relations have started to thaw since Nikol Pashinyan led a peaceful revolution in the Caucasus republic last year. In an interview with EURACTIV, he talked about future ties with Baku, as well as with Brussels and Moscow.

Commission eager to see the capacity of Southern gas corridor doubled

A recent meeting of government officials and big energy companies in Azerbaijan signalled ambitions about doubling the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), and of more European countries becoming clients.

France, Russia and US ‘working closely together’ on Nagorno-Karabakh

Positive momentum in the search for a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been confirmed in recent days, with fresh meetings and more shuttle diplomacy in the region.

Azerbaijan drops assault charges against jailed blogger

Azerbaijan has dropped fresh charges against a jailed anti-corruption blogger who has denounced his prosecution as politically motivated, prosecutors said Tuesday (22 January).

Azeri parliamentary cooperation chair: MEPs should check facts before they vote

Some events in Azerbaijan are treated in the EU with prejudice and intentional bias, and some MEPs have a clear agenda to make obstacles to the rapprochement of EU-Azerbaijan relations, Javanshir Feyziyev told EURACTIV in a written interview.

EU, UN welcome thaw in Armenia-Azerbaijan relations over Nagorno-Karabakh

The EU welcomed on Friday (18 January) a recent thaw in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ice is melting for Nagorno-Karabakh

Several indications signal a thaw in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and hopes for peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, writes Ilgar Gurbanov.

Pashinyan: the Providential Man to solve Armenia’s problems?

A political earthquake hit Europe’s furthest far-flung frontier last week, as Armenians voted in what has been labelled their nation’s first free and transparent elections. But just who is the revolutionary leader that has captured the hearts of Armenia’s inhabitants?

NATO: Baku is ‘perfect venue’ for talking to Russia

Azerbaijan's capital Baku has once again been the venue for a meeting between the top brass of Russia and US, at a time when relations between the two military superpowers are at a new low.

Official: Azerbaijan is ready for chairing Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022

Azerbaijan, a supporter of multilateralism and international cooperation, will chair the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022, with international peace and security as the top priority issues, a senior official from the country told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.