The partnership between the EU and NATO is an important element in today's global security architecture, the EU's representative in Baku has said.
Roland Kobia was speaking at a conference in Baku on "Azerbaijan and the Euro-Atlantic space: priorities and realities of integration".
"After the Cold War, the EU began a process of expansion and, of course, we then faced different challenges on the continent and beyond. The partnership between the EU and NATO was an element that became the basis of security not only in Europe but also amongst its neighbours," he said.
Kobia said that the world was facing different challenges including terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cyber crime, etc.
"To this end, our cooperation with NATO is very important in responding to these challenges. In this regard, we are ready to cooperate and collaborate with our partners and with Azerbaijan as well. Practice has shown that no country alone can meet these modern challenges. The partnership of the EU and NATO is necessary and useful in the international system. Our organization, our structures are working for peace and stability throughout the world. After the forthcoming Lisbon summit, NATO will prepare reform proposals for a security system," the representative said.
"The world is changing and, to this end, NATO should change its views on some current events in the world. By using the ‘soft’ power of the EU and the ‘hard’ power of NATO we intend to strengthen their security, and help our partners in ensuring peace and stability,” Kobia said.
He told journalists at the conference that the EU welcomed dialogue between Armenian and Azerbaijani political parties.
On 8 October, Azerbaijan's opposition Musavat Party signed a declaration on cooperation with the Armenian Pan-National Movement and the Georgian Republican Party.
"We realize that the Nagorno-Karbakh conflict is complex and in these circumstances dialogue is a major element in tackling these problems. We welcome these contacts and hope that they will continue in future and establish trust between these two states," he said.
Kobia said that the EU for its part was ready to help establish dialogue between different sections of society in Azerbaijan and Armenia.
1news.az
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