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European officials say EU not to be involved in Karabakh settlement
Ekspress, Baku
10 Nov 04
"The European Union [EU] will not render specific assistance to the
Nagornyy Karabakh settlement. This organization is not going to be
directly involved in the settlement process," Stanislas Lefebvre
de Laboulaye, director-general of political and security affairs
at the French Foreign Ministry, and Michael Scheffer, diplomatic
director-general at the German Foreign Ministry, who are visiting Baku,
told a news conference yesterday [9 November]. They think that Europe
is simply ready to give "general support" for the sides in the peace
process and "there is a legal basis for this as well". That is the
EU has accepted a "specific mission" by including the three South
Caucasus countries in Europe's neighbourhood programme. The visit
by the German and French diplomats is linked to the EU's increasing
interest in the South Caucasus, mainly in Azerbaijan. The guests
yesterday met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and
leaders of three opposition parties. The talks focused on regional
security, the development of democracy and the issue of putting into
operation the EU's New Neighbourhood policy.
Summing up the results of their visit, Scheffer said that "after
hearing opinions from the people we had met, we concluded that Europe
could immediately start implementing its New Neighbourhood policy". He
said that Europe is ready for cooperation within the framework of
the neighbourhood programme.
"We all want to see expansion and benefits of expansion. At issue is
both economic and political cooperation," he said.
[Passage omitted: the EU and Azerbaijan to start regular dialogue on
the development of democracy, judiciary system and stability in 2005]
Laboulaye drew attention to the fact that they had had "an open
dialogue" with Azerbaijani officials. He said that both government
and opposition representatives shared the same views on integration
into Europe. In turn, the EU thinks that the development of democracy,
supremacy of law and the protection of human rights are priorities for
cooperation. Saying that "we export democracy and regional stability",
the representative of the French Foreign Ministry said that the EU
attached great attention to the development of civil relations and
maintenance of peace in the region. He said that thawing relations
among regional countries would "be definitely included" in the next
round of talks between Europe and Baku.
"The opinion of the Azerbaijani leadership about this issue
is interesting for us. For both France and Germany stability in
Azerbaijan means stability in Europe. Being the EU representatives,
we will do our best to give support to the conflicting sides to find
a solution to the conflict," France's Laboulaye said. He said that
both as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and an EU member, Paris
"is always keeping in focus" the processes taking place in the South
Caucasus, specifically in Azerbaijan. The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
should be resolved to establish internal stability in the country.
As far as the settlement is concerned, Europe "does not want to
intervene in the dialogue between the countries". At the same time,
the EU is ready to help the sides if an agreement is achieved on the
restoration of peace and repatriation of refugees to their native
lands. However, the EU does not come to the South Caucasus to resolve
the conflicts. The EU is trying to achieve peace among the regional
countries. Laboulaye cited as an example historical disagreements
between Germany and France and added that Azerbaijan and Armenia could
learn from Europe's experience. "In the EU's history, neighbouring
countries haven't been hostile to each other for a long time."
The representatives of the French and German foreign ministries will
go to Georgia and then to Armenia today.
Ekspress, Baku
10 Nov 04
"The European Union [EU] will not render specific assistance to the
Nagornyy Karabakh settlement. This organization is not going to be
directly involved in the settlement process," Stanislas Lefebvre
de Laboulaye, director-general of political and security affairs
at the French Foreign Ministry, and Michael Scheffer, diplomatic
director-general at the German Foreign Ministry, who are visiting Baku,
told a news conference yesterday [9 November]. They think that Europe
is simply ready to give "general support" for the sides in the peace
process and "there is a legal basis for this as well". That is the
EU has accepted a "specific mission" by including the three South
Caucasus countries in Europe's neighbourhood programme. The visit
by the German and French diplomats is linked to the EU's increasing
interest in the South Caucasus, mainly in Azerbaijan. The guests
yesterday met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and
leaders of three opposition parties. The talks focused on regional
security, the development of democracy and the issue of putting into
operation the EU's New Neighbourhood policy.
Summing up the results of their visit, Scheffer said that "after
hearing opinions from the people we had met, we concluded that Europe
could immediately start implementing its New Neighbourhood policy". He
said that Europe is ready for cooperation within the framework of
the neighbourhood programme.
"We all want to see expansion and benefits of expansion. At issue is
both economic and political cooperation," he said.
[Passage omitted: the EU and Azerbaijan to start regular dialogue on
the development of democracy, judiciary system and stability in 2005]
Laboulaye drew attention to the fact that they had had "an open
dialogue" with Azerbaijani officials. He said that both government
and opposition representatives shared the same views on integration
into Europe. In turn, the EU thinks that the development of democracy,
supremacy of law and the protection of human rights are priorities for
cooperation. Saying that "we export democracy and regional stability",
the representative of the French Foreign Ministry said that the EU
attached great attention to the development of civil relations and
maintenance of peace in the region. He said that thawing relations
among regional countries would "be definitely included" in the next
round of talks between Europe and Baku.
"The opinion of the Azerbaijani leadership about this issue
is interesting for us. For both France and Germany stability in
Azerbaijan means stability in Europe. Being the EU representatives,
we will do our best to give support to the conflicting sides to find
a solution to the conflict," France's Laboulaye said. He said that
both as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and an EU member, Paris
"is always keeping in focus" the processes taking place in the South
Caucasus, specifically in Azerbaijan. The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
should be resolved to establish internal stability in the country.
As far as the settlement is concerned, Europe "does not want to
intervene in the dialogue between the countries". At the same time,
the EU is ready to help the sides if an agreement is achieved on the
restoration of peace and repatriation of refugees to their native
lands. However, the EU does not come to the South Caucasus to resolve
the conflicts. The EU is trying to achieve peace among the regional
countries. Laboulaye cited as an example historical disagreements
between Germany and France and added that Azerbaijan and Armenia could
learn from Europe's experience. "In the EU's history, neighbouring
countries haven't been hostile to each other for a long time."
The representatives of the French and German foreign ministries will
go to Georgia and then to Armenia today.