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ArmenPress
July 6 2004
EU SENIOR OFFICIAL TO VISIT GEORGIA AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS: Commissioner Janez Potocnik will
visit Georgia on 5-6 July, Azerbaijan on 6-7 July and Armenia on 7-8
July. The visits follow the decision by the Council on 14 June to
include the three Southern Caucasian countries in the European
Neighborhood Policy. Potocnik will welcome the countries into the
European Neighborhood Policy and explain the significance of the
initiative to his counterparts.
Commissioner Potocnik said: "The inclusion of Georgia, Azerbaijan
and Armenia in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) sends an
important message that the EU is fully committed to support the
Southern Caucasian countries on their route towards building stable
societies based on democratic values. The ENP provides us with an
essential instrument to promote progress in reform in each of these
countries."
Commissioner Potocnik will meet with the Presidents and the Prime
Ministers of the three countries. He will also hold meetings with
other government members, members of Parliament and opposition
leaders. He will take the opportunity to address wider audiences,
including civil and business societies, on the ENP and its
significance for the Southern Caucasus.
Potocnik will explain the objectives of the ENP initiative to his
counterparts and set out the next steps to be made by the countries
in order to follow-up on the Council decision. The bilateral talks
will also touch on the EU's relations with these countries more
generally. Potocnik will encourage the partners to put special
emphasis on conflict resolution and prevention and underline the
importance of strengthening regional cooperation. The visit takes
place in the context of the EU's continuing efforts to strengthen
political relations with the region and to be more actively involved
in conflict prevention, confidence-building measures and post
conflict rehabilitation.
On 14 June the Council decided to include Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Armenia in the European Neighborhood Policy. At the same time, the
Council endorsed the Commission's strategy for putting the ENP into
action.
The objective of the European Neighborhood Policy is to share the
benefits of the EU's 2004 enlargement with neighboring countries -
i.e. stability, security and well-being - in a way that is distinct
from EU membership. It is designed to prevent the emergence of new
dividing lines between the enlarged Union and its neighbors and to
offer them an increasingly close relationship with the EU involving a
significant degree of economic integration and a deepening of
political cooperation. The ENP will also help address one of the
strategic objectives the European Union set in the European Security
Strategy in December 2003, that of building security in our
neighborhood.
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia all have Partnership and
Cooperation Agreements in force with the EU. The EU will consider the
possibility of developing jointly agreed Action Plans, as foreseen by
the ENP strategy, with the three countries on the basis of their
individual merits.
July 6 2004
EU SENIOR OFFICIAL TO VISIT GEORGIA AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS: Commissioner Janez Potocnik will
visit Georgia on 5-6 July, Azerbaijan on 6-7 July and Armenia on 7-8
July. The visits follow the decision by the Council on 14 June to
include the three Southern Caucasian countries in the European
Neighborhood Policy. Potocnik will welcome the countries into the
European Neighborhood Policy and explain the significance of the
initiative to his counterparts.
Commissioner Potocnik said: "The inclusion of Georgia, Azerbaijan
and Armenia in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) sends an
important message that the EU is fully committed to support the
Southern Caucasian countries on their route towards building stable
societies based on democratic values. The ENP provides us with an
essential instrument to promote progress in reform in each of these
countries."
Commissioner Potocnik will meet with the Presidents and the Prime
Ministers of the three countries. He will also hold meetings with
other government members, members of Parliament and opposition
leaders. He will take the opportunity to address wider audiences,
including civil and business societies, on the ENP and its
significance for the Southern Caucasus.
Potocnik will explain the objectives of the ENP initiative to his
counterparts and set out the next steps to be made by the countries
in order to follow-up on the Council decision. The bilateral talks
will also touch on the EU's relations with these countries more
generally. Potocnik will encourage the partners to put special
emphasis on conflict resolution and prevention and underline the
importance of strengthening regional cooperation. The visit takes
place in the context of the EU's continuing efforts to strengthen
political relations with the region and to be more actively involved
in conflict prevention, confidence-building measures and post
conflict rehabilitation.
On 14 June the Council decided to include Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Armenia in the European Neighborhood Policy. At the same time, the
Council endorsed the Commission's strategy for putting the ENP into
action.
The objective of the European Neighborhood Policy is to share the
benefits of the EU's 2004 enlargement with neighboring countries -
i.e. stability, security and well-being - in a way that is distinct
from EU membership. It is designed to prevent the emergence of new
dividing lines between the enlarged Union and its neighbors and to
offer them an increasingly close relationship with the EU involving a
significant degree of economic integration and a deepening of
political cooperation. The ENP will also help address one of the
strategic objectives the European Union set in the European Security
Strategy in December 2003, that of building security in our
neighborhood.
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia all have Partnership and
Cooperation Agreements in force with the EU. The EU will consider the
possibility of developing jointly agreed Action Plans, as foreseen by
the ENP strategy, with the three countries on the basis of their
individual merits.