BAKU. Jan 9 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with new EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Magdalena Grono on Wednesday to discuss Azerbaijani-EU relations and the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process.
"Magdalena Grono described Azerbaijan as an important partner of the European Union, highlighting the EU's interest in ensuring lasting stability in the South Caucasus region," a statement published on the Azerbaijani presidential website said.
Grono said that Azerbaijan makes a weighty input in the energy security of Europe and called cooperation, including that in the field of energy, important. In that context, she said it was important to develop the EU-Azerbaijani dialogue.
Aliyev said, in turn, that cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union has a rich history. "The discussion covered areas of mutual interest, including energy, transportation, investments, trade, and other sectors," the statement said.
Azerbaijan will keep working on enduring peace and stability in the South Caucasus, Aliyev said, adding that Azerbaijan and Armenia are conducting negotiations in the bilateral format.
Grono extended deep condolences over the crash of an AZAL plane in Kazakhstan and expressed hope for a thorough investigation into it.