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EU Commissioner Tours South Caucasus To Explain 'New Neighborhood'

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  • EU Commissioner Tours South Caucasus To Explain 'New Neighborhood'

    Monday,
    05 July 2004
    Caucasus: EU Commissioner Tours South Caucasus To Explain 'New
    Neighborhood' Offer

    Czech Republic World News Services
    By Ahto Lobjakas

    Janez Potocnik, a junior EU commissioner working with enlargement
    commissioner Guenter Verheugen, today begins a four-day tour of the
    South Caucasus. He will meet the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and
    Georgia to talk about the EU's recent decision to include the three
    countries in its "new neighborhood" policy.

    Brussels, 5 July 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Janez Potocnik is a junior
    commissioner. But he is by far the highest-ranking EU official to
    tour the South Caucasus region in recent years.

    As a commissioner for a new EU member state, Slovenia, Potocnik works
    with the enlargement commissioner, Guenter Verheugen. Verheugen is in
    charge of the EU's "new neighborhood" program, which offers closer
    ties to some EU neighbors.

    Although not directly responsible for the new neighborhood program,
    Potocnik fully represents the views of the European Commission.

    He will spend this week traveling to Georgia (5-6 July), Azerbaijan
    (6-7 July), and Armenia (7-8 July). Potocnik's visit will emphasize
    the EU's renewed interest in those three countries. Following
    Georgia's "Rose Revolution" last year, the EU was quick to bring them
    into the new neighborhood policy. The formal offer was finalized on 14
    June.

    Jean-Christophe Filori is a European Commission spokesman. He
    explained to RFE/RL today what the offer will mean for the three
    countries: "The next steps are to consider the possibility of setting
    up a so-called action plan with those three countries -- setting the
    [reform] priorities they should address. And, on our side, offering
    an approximation with the European Union. That, as you know, could
    eventually -- but in the longer term -- lead very far toward a share
    in the internal market, for instance, or [alignment] with several EU
    policies, like environment or [energy and transport] networks."

    Filori said Potocnik will tell the three South Caucasus governments
    that they could eventually have a voice in Europe.

    Potocnik will not offer precise details of the financial aid likely to
    accompany new neighborhood membership. EU member states are still
    debating the contents of the bloc's next budget for the years
    2007-2013.

    But EU officials say Potocnik will reiterate the bloc's willingness to
    take a more active approach to the region's many conflicts. The bloc
    will not act as a mediator. But it will use incentives inherent in
    closer ties to foster compromise.

    Filori says this strategy has proved successful elsewhere: "Take, for
    instance, the example of Romania and Hungary, the issue of the
    Hungarian minority. Through a very early and intense political
    dialogue, we [found] a solution. And we really hope that with this
    prospect of getting closer to the European Union we will also have the
    possibility of a much better political dialogue with [the South
    Caucasus] countries."

    The EU promotes its new neighborhood policy as distinct from bloc
    membership but offering many of the same benefits.

    Filori said the EU is not likely to discuss anytime soon a further EU
    expansion that would bring countries like Georgia, Armenia and
    Azerbaijan into the bloc: "We can never say never, of course -- we
    will have to see. What we're trying to do now is to set the prospect
    for the foreseeable future. And in the foreseeable future, we have an
    approach allowing for much closer involvement of those countries in
    Europe, and a much closer involvement of the EU in those countries --
    much closer relations. It would be a first step. Let's seize this
    offer first."

    The EU has made it clear that it will consider developing relations
    with the three countries on the basis of individual merit. So far,
    Georgia has emerged as a clear leader.

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