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Ferrero-Waldner to open full-fledged EC Delegations in ROA and Azerb

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  • Ferrero-Waldner to open full-fledged EC Delegations in ROA and Azerb

    ABHaber, Belgium
    EU-Turkey News Network
    Feb 2 2008


    Ferrero-Waldner to open full-fledged EC Delegations in Armenia and
    Azerbaijan

    Troika visit to South Caucasus 4-6 February: Ferrero-Waldner to open
    full-fledged EC Delegations in Armenia and Azerbaijan

    European Commissioner for External Relations and European
    Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, will participate in the
    Ministerial EU Troika visit to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia on
    4-6 February 2008. Together with Dimitrij Rupel, Minister for Foreign
    Affairs of Slovenia and EU Special Representative for the Southern
    Caucasus, Ambassador Peter Semneby, the Commissioner will be holding
    meetings at the highest level. On the agenda are the implementation
    of the ENP Action Plans, regional and international issues. In
    Armenia and Azerbaijan the Commissioner will also open full fledged
    European Commission Delegations.

    On the eve of her visit, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said: "Over a
    year after we embarked into our joint Action Plans, the relations
    between the EU and the countries of the Southern Caucasus are growing
    ever closer. This is my third visit to the region, and I am looking
    forward to discussing the implementation of our ENP Action plans,
    energy security, regional issues including the frozen conflicts, as
    well as international issues. ."

    She added: `This time I am particularly happy to open fully-fledged
    EC Commission Delegations in Armenia and Azerbaijan. This opens a new
    chapter in our relations with these countries. It is a confirmation
    of the Commission's commitment to cooperate closely with the South
    Caucasus countries, supporting reforms with a view to bringing the
    whole region closer to Europe'.

    The EU Troika visit will provide the opportunity to discuss a wide
    range of topics with Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian authorities,
    such as the implementation of the three ENP Action Plans, the
    situation of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democratisation,
    frozen conflicts, regional cooperation in the Southern Caucasus and
    energy.

    The European Commission contributes to the peaceful settlement of
    frozen conflicts. The EU is already active in preventing and
    resolving conflicts. The Commission can make an important
    contribution by working around the conflict issues, promoting similar
    reforms on both sides of the boundary lines, to foster convergence
    between political, economic and legal systems, enabling greater
    social inclusion and contributing to confidence building and the
    financing of rehabilitation programmes. The EU is also
    institutionally involved in conflict settlement mechanisms. The
    Commission is also an observer to the Joint Control Commission, a
    conflict settlement mechanism for South Ossetia. However, only
    individual Member States participate in the Minsk Group
    (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the UN Friends of Georgia (Abkhazia) peace
    mechanisms.

    The ENP Action Plans in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were adopted
    in late 2006. Implementation is supported by the European Community
    bilateral ENPI assistance to the tune of EUR 92 million in
    Azerbaijan, EUR 98,4 million in Armenia and EUR 120 million in
    Georgia over the period 2007-2010, plus assistance initiatives
    implemented in the context of ENPI Regional and Inter-Regional and EC
    Thematic Programmes such as the European Instrument for
    Democratisation and Human Rights - EIDHR.

    The main focus of cooperation with Azerbaijan is good governance,
    socio-economic reforms and energy.

    For Armenia the three focal areas of bilateral assistance are support
    for strengthening of democratic structures, and good governance,
    support for regulatory reform and administrative capacity building,
    and support for poverty reduction efforts.

    For Georgia the focus is support for democratic development, rule of
    law and governance, economic development and implementation of the
    ENP Action Plan, poverty reduction and social reforms, conflict
    resolution.

    >From 1991-2004, the EC has allocated over 1.2 billion worth of
    assistance, with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia receiving
    approximately an equal share of about 400 million each.

    For more information on the EU's relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan
    and Georgia:

    http://ec.europa.eu/external_relations/armenia/i ndex_en.htm

    http://ec.europa.eu/external_relation s/azerbaijan/index_en.htm

    http://ec.europa.eu/ext ernal_relations/georgia/index_en.htm


    ABHaber 02.02.2008 Brussels
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