Azerbaijan and UK hold first-ever consular consultations in London

Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom have held their first-ever consular consultations in London.

According to Report, the meeting took place between the foreign ministries of the two countries.

The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Emil Safarov, Head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the British delegation was headed by Sarah Taylor, Director for Consular and Crisis Policy, and Mark Clayton, Deputy Head of the Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood Department.

The consultations were also attended by Azerbaijan"s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Elin Suleymanov, officials from both foreign ministries, representatives of the Prosecutor General"s Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan, as well as officials from the UK Home Office responsible for migration, visa, and legal assistance matters.

During the consultations, the parties discussed the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in the consular field, including opportunities for signing relevant bilateral documents and enhancing the digitalization of consular services.

They also exchanged views on the protection of citizens' rights and freedoms, visa policy, and crisis management mechanisms.

Both sides emphasized the importance of sharing experience regarding recent innovations in the consular sphere and strengthening cooperation in the areas of migration, education, justice, extradition, and mutual legal assistance in civil and criminal matters.

The parties agreed to hold the next round of consular consultations in Baku.