Azerbaijan declined to join three documents proposed at the European Political Community summit in Dublin, saying the declarations would create additional legal and political obligations while Baku views the EPC as an informal forum for dialogue.
The documents were the Declaration on the Fundamental Principles of European Security, a statement on migration and a statement by the European Coalition Against Drugs, Vesti Baku reported. A number of participating states endorsed them during the Nov. 12 summit.
Participation in the Platform Will Continue
Azerbaijan’s decision not to join the three statements does not mean it is leaving the European Political Community or ending its participation in the group’s meetings.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said the platform was established to strengthen trust and cooperation among countries. Baku sees value in using the EPC to exchange views on issues of common interest, discuss shared challenges and expand cooperation with participating states.
The ministry’s official explanation did not identify individual provisions in the documents that caused objections. The decision should therefore be understood as a refusal to accept additional obligations within an informal platform, rather than a public rejection of all the objectives covered by the three initiatives.
What Happened at the Summit
The ninth meeting of the European Political Community was held in Dublin on Nov. 12. Azerbaijan attended the summit and held a series of bilateral meetings covering energy, transport, security and relations with European states.
The Foreign Ministry’s position indicates that Baku intends to remain engaged in the broader European dialogue while evaluating separately any documents that could create political or legal commitments for Azerbaijan.