0 9 ▁when ▁the ▁EU ▁launched ▁the ▁initi ative , ▁A zer ba ij an ▁has ▁been ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Part ners hip ▁Policy . ▁After ▁two ▁years , ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Il ham ▁Ali ye v ▁and ▁José ▁Manuel ▁Bar ro so , ▁Form er ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Commission , ▁concluded ▁the ▁J oint ▁Dec laration ▁on ▁the ▁Southern ▁Gas ▁Cor rid or . ▁ ▁Il ham ▁Ali ye v ▁aff ir med ▁the ▁significance ▁of ▁the ▁J oint ▁Dec laration ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁energy ▁co operation ▁between ▁the ▁EU ▁and ▁A zer ba ij an ▁during ▁its ▁visit ▁to ▁Br uss els ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁with ▁the ▁following ▁words : ▁“ Of ▁course , ▁energy ▁co operation ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁components ▁of ▁our ▁relations . ▁I ▁am ▁glad ▁that ▁after ▁the ▁signing , ▁together ▁with ▁President ▁Bar ro so , ▁of ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁on ▁strateg ic ▁co operation ▁in ▁the ▁energy ▁sector ▁in ▁B aku ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁we ▁are ▁currently ▁seeing ▁its ▁practical ▁results . ▁This ▁declaration ▁has ▁played ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁implementation ▁of ▁the ▁gas ▁cor rid or .” ▁ ▁On ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Ali ye v ▁visited ▁Br uss els , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁EU , ▁for ▁the ▁bil ater al ▁and ▁mult il ater al ▁meet ings . ▁He ▁paid ▁official ▁vis its ▁to ▁High ▁Represent ative