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EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF WANTS 'REDOUBLED EFFORTS' ON KARABAKH
news.az
July 7 2011
Azerbaijan
The European Parliament discussed the settlement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh at a plenary
session on Wednesday.
Starting off the debate, the EU high representative for foreign affairs
and security policy, Catherine Ashton, said that what are known as the
Basic Principles for a settlement should remain part of the process.
"Efforts to find an agreement on the Basic Principles must continue
and I welcome the fact that both parties recommitted themselves to the
diplomatic process and to finding a peaceful solution. But we need to
see more than that in the coming months. The parties need to redouble
their efforts to find an agreement before the end of the year. This
will then happen before domestic priorities take over before 2012,"
Catherine Ashton said.
The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents failed to reach agreement
on the Basic Principles for a settlement at their latest meeting in
Kazan on 24 June, mediated by the Russian president.
Catherine Ashton advocated the development of the EU's ties with
Azerbaijan and Armenia as a way of promoting a settlement.
"Perhaps our most important contribution will be to strengthen
our bilateral relationships with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
new European policy, which was discussed earlier today, found
an ambitious agenda for the countries of the South Caucasus: new
association agreements for deeper comprehensive free trade areas, for
increasing and facilitating mobility, for increased sector cooperation
and participation in EU programmes and increased support for civil
society and open society."
She stressed the benefits that a resolution would bring to the region:
"A peaceful resolution of the conflict - a key strategic interest
to the EU - a resolution to this conflict will transform the South
Caucasus region on the path of economic stability. Borders could not
open only between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also between Turkey
and Armenia, thus the region could become closer to one another."
The foreign policy chief said that the EU stood ready to support the
OSCE Minsk Group, the international body directly involved in the
negotiating process. "We hold regular consultations with the OSCE on
what assistance can be given in this matter."
In the subsequent debate, MEPs said that the conflict could not
be considered frozen, while the continuing status quo was also
unacceptable.
Estonian MEP, former Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland, called
for resolution of the conflict to be based on the principle of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and adopted in accordance with
the European Parliament resolution passed in 2010, which calls for the
withdrawal of Armenian forces from occupied Azerbaijani territories,
APA reported.
Austrian MEP Ulrike Lunacek called on Armenia to withdraw its troops
from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. She also called on
Azerbaijan to reduce the buildup of arms.
Lithuanian MEP Inese Vaidere said that the EU was not active enough
in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "We have sufficient
experience and resources for this," the MEP said.
She said that Armenian troops should be withdrawn from the occupied
territories and refugees and IDPs should be able to return to their
homes. The MEP said that a visit by Catherine Ashton to Armenia and
Azerbaijan would contribute to resolving the conflict. Ashton was to
have visited the region in June, but that trip has been postponed.
Inese Vaidere commented that, while Russia was a mediator in the
conflict, it was also supplying arms to both sides.
German MEP Elmar Brok talked about the importance of the withdrawal
of snipers from the contact line separating Armenian and Azerbaijani
troops, something the OSCE Minsk Group mediators have long advocated.
"We need to be clear that we are on the side of the refugees, we
want them to go back to the place of their initial residence, and
about snipers we need to get rid of them, and the six principles
[Basic Principles] that the Minsk Group has adopted and which have
been accepted by both sides need to be properly implemented, and
other pretexts not to implement them should not be found."
Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin, head of the EU delegation to the
EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly, which brings together MPs from
the EU's Eastern Partnership countries and the European Parliament,
expressed his concern about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"The unsuccessful results of the Kazan meeting perhaps show that the
Minsk Group has exhausted its capacity, but the sides should also
make more efforts to resolve the conflict," Vigenin said.
He stressed that the European Parliament should also try to play a more
important role in resolving the conflict by promoting dialogue between
the two countries and was hopeful that the Eastern Partnership summit
in Warsaw in September could make a contribution to a settlement.
"The European Parliament has a role to play too, in trying to achieve
better relationships between the two countries. The representatives
of the two countries have played an active part in events and in
the Eastern Assembly, as have MEPs. I think we have an opportunity
on both sides to take part and to make sure that cooperation between
the peoples concerned is the way forward. I am counting on the Polish
presidency and on the whole summit to provide a boost in the search
for a solution to this conflict."
news.az
July 7 2011
Azerbaijan
The European Parliament discussed the settlement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh at a plenary
session on Wednesday.
Starting off the debate, the EU high representative for foreign affairs
and security policy, Catherine Ashton, said that what are known as the
Basic Principles for a settlement should remain part of the process.
"Efforts to find an agreement on the Basic Principles must continue
and I welcome the fact that both parties recommitted themselves to the
diplomatic process and to finding a peaceful solution. But we need to
see more than that in the coming months. The parties need to redouble
their efforts to find an agreement before the end of the year. This
will then happen before domestic priorities take over before 2012,"
Catherine Ashton said.
The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents failed to reach agreement
on the Basic Principles for a settlement at their latest meeting in
Kazan on 24 June, mediated by the Russian president.
Catherine Ashton advocated the development of the EU's ties with
Azerbaijan and Armenia as a way of promoting a settlement.
"Perhaps our most important contribution will be to strengthen
our bilateral relationships with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
new European policy, which was discussed earlier today, found
an ambitious agenda for the countries of the South Caucasus: new
association agreements for deeper comprehensive free trade areas, for
increasing and facilitating mobility, for increased sector cooperation
and participation in EU programmes and increased support for civil
society and open society."
She stressed the benefits that a resolution would bring to the region:
"A peaceful resolution of the conflict - a key strategic interest
to the EU - a resolution to this conflict will transform the South
Caucasus region on the path of economic stability. Borders could not
open only between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also between Turkey
and Armenia, thus the region could become closer to one another."
The foreign policy chief said that the EU stood ready to support the
OSCE Minsk Group, the international body directly involved in the
negotiating process. "We hold regular consultations with the OSCE on
what assistance can be given in this matter."
In the subsequent debate, MEPs said that the conflict could not
be considered frozen, while the continuing status quo was also
unacceptable.
Estonian MEP, former Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland, called
for resolution of the conflict to be based on the principle of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and adopted in accordance with
the European Parliament resolution passed in 2010, which calls for the
withdrawal of Armenian forces from occupied Azerbaijani territories,
APA reported.
Austrian MEP Ulrike Lunacek called on Armenia to withdraw its troops
from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. She also called on
Azerbaijan to reduce the buildup of arms.
Lithuanian MEP Inese Vaidere said that the EU was not active enough
in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "We have sufficient
experience and resources for this," the MEP said.
She said that Armenian troops should be withdrawn from the occupied
territories and refugees and IDPs should be able to return to their
homes. The MEP said that a visit by Catherine Ashton to Armenia and
Azerbaijan would contribute to resolving the conflict. Ashton was to
have visited the region in June, but that trip has been postponed.
Inese Vaidere commented that, while Russia was a mediator in the
conflict, it was also supplying arms to both sides.
German MEP Elmar Brok talked about the importance of the withdrawal
of snipers from the contact line separating Armenian and Azerbaijani
troops, something the OSCE Minsk Group mediators have long advocated.
"We need to be clear that we are on the side of the refugees, we
want them to go back to the place of their initial residence, and
about snipers we need to get rid of them, and the six principles
[Basic Principles] that the Minsk Group has adopted and which have
been accepted by both sides need to be properly implemented, and
other pretexts not to implement them should not be found."
Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin, head of the EU delegation to the
EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly, which brings together MPs from
the EU's Eastern Partnership countries and the European Parliament,
expressed his concern about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"The unsuccessful results of the Kazan meeting perhaps show that the
Minsk Group has exhausted its capacity, but the sides should also
make more efforts to resolve the conflict," Vigenin said.
He stressed that the European Parliament should also try to play a more
important role in resolving the conflict by promoting dialogue between
the two countries and was hopeful that the Eastern Partnership summit
in Warsaw in September could make a contribution to a settlement.
"The European Parliament has a role to play too, in trying to achieve
better relationships between the two countries. The representatives
of the two countries have played an active part in events and in
the Eastern Assembly, as have MEPs. I think we have an opportunity
on both sides to take part and to make sure that cooperation between
the peoples concerned is the way forward. I am counting on the Polish
presidency and on the whole summit to provide a boost in the search
for a solution to this conflict."