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"CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONFLICTS RESOLUTION WILL BE MY TOP PRIORITY"
(The exclusive interview of Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus, to Mediamax news agency, March 2006)
On March 1, Peter Semneby assumed his responsibilities as the new
European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the South
Caucasus. His first interview on this post Peter Semneby gave to
Armenian Mediamax news agency.
- Your mandate includes a number of objectives. Which one do you
consider to be the most important one?
- My top priority will be to contribute to the resolution of frozen
conflicts in the region. I am aware of the existing expectations that
the European Union will play a big role after the settlement is
achieved, and this is also something that needs to be prepared. The
conflicts are taking so much political attention, they are consuming
financial resources and they hamper normal development of the
countries in the region.
There are a number of other important issues as well. In particular,
we should continue the assistance to state building in the three
countries of the South Caucasus, to ensure normal relationships
between the countries of the region, to foster the regional
cooperation at a larger framework than the narrow framework between
three countries.
- According to your mandate, you have to support the activities of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. How do you see your role in this
process?
- I am only 10 days in the office and hadn't enough time to have a
formal meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. I will, of
course, have very close contacts with them to make sure that whatever
initiatives are taken, whatever messages are given, they are clearly
coordinated.
Perhaps, more important is to prepare the ground for what will happen
after the settlement is reached and this can also be used as an
incentive for the parties to come to a settlement.
- There were a lot of expectations ahead of the meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents in France last month, and a lot of
disappointment after the talks. Do you still believe it is possible to
resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in 2006?
- For sure, I have hopes. I can't say now whether they are realistic
or not taking into account the fact that the expectations were dashed
at the most recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents. For having a better understanding I need to make my first
visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan and to talk to the Minsk Group
co-chairmen. But I definitely maintain a high degree of hope,
otherwise I should not have accepted this job.
- Heikki Talvitie, your predecessor on this post, paid a lot of
attention to the improvement of Turkish-Armenian relations. Are you
going to continue these efforts?
- Essentially, they are two difficult relationships with neighbors in
the region: it's Armenia-Turkey and Georgia-Russia. Both of them will
be among my priorities.
- Energy security is becoming an important issue on the agenda of
Armenia-EU relations . Will you deal with this issue?
- My mandate is broad enough to include the issue of energy
security. Given the developments that have taken place both in the
region and beyond it in last several months, I think there is a reason
to take a more active interest in this issue. Energy security is
definitely much more on the agenda that it used to be.
- Despite numerous efforts and funding provided by the EU for the
development of the regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, little
has been achieved. Do you think such cooperation is possible before
the resolution of existing conflicts?
- Efforts to establish the regional cooperation should be developed in
parallel with the efforts to resolve the conflicts. Probably, it
should involve a broader context than just the countries of the South
Caucasus.
- What is your opinion about the prospects of further democratic
transformation in Armenia?
- Democratic standards are always at the forefront of the interest of
the EU. I have experience from my previous jobs as the head of the
OSCE Mission in Latvia and then in Croatia, where I was monitoring
similar issues and giving support in overcoming obstacles related to
democratic institutions, electoral systems, etc. Of course, these
issues are not easy, they are also problems in many mature
democracies. But as long as there is a mutual commitment and
willingness to resolve the existing difficulties, I am confident that
the issues related to the development of democratic institutions will
not be a major obstacle.
- We know that you have visited Armenia after the 1988
earthquake. Could you tell us more about this experience?
- That was really one of the most defining moments in my life. I spent
a week in Leninakan immediately after the earthquake. I was working in
the Embassy of Sweden in the USSR and came to Leninakan two days after
the earthquake together with the Swedish rescue team. We were
searching through the ruins after the survivors.
It was a heartbreaking experience, but at the same time I felt huge
respect for the dignity and the resilience of the people who were so
severely affected by the earthquake. I am very much looking forward to
go back to this area and see what the situation there is now.
(The exclusive interview of Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus, to Mediamax news agency, March 2006)
On March 1, Peter Semneby assumed his responsibilities as the new
European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the South
Caucasus. His first interview on this post Peter Semneby gave to
Armenian Mediamax news agency.
- Your mandate includes a number of objectives. Which one do you
consider to be the most important one?
- My top priority will be to contribute to the resolution of frozen
conflicts in the region. I am aware of the existing expectations that
the European Union will play a big role after the settlement is
achieved, and this is also something that needs to be prepared. The
conflicts are taking so much political attention, they are consuming
financial resources and they hamper normal development of the
countries in the region.
There are a number of other important issues as well. In particular,
we should continue the assistance to state building in the three
countries of the South Caucasus, to ensure normal relationships
between the countries of the region, to foster the regional
cooperation at a larger framework than the narrow framework between
three countries.
- According to your mandate, you have to support the activities of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. How do you see your role in this
process?
- I am only 10 days in the office and hadn't enough time to have a
formal meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. I will, of
course, have very close contacts with them to make sure that whatever
initiatives are taken, whatever messages are given, they are clearly
coordinated.
Perhaps, more important is to prepare the ground for what will happen
after the settlement is reached and this can also be used as an
incentive for the parties to come to a settlement.
- There were a lot of expectations ahead of the meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents in France last month, and a lot of
disappointment after the talks. Do you still believe it is possible to
resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in 2006?
- For sure, I have hopes. I can't say now whether they are realistic
or not taking into account the fact that the expectations were dashed
at the most recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents. For having a better understanding I need to make my first
visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan and to talk to the Minsk Group
co-chairmen. But I definitely maintain a high degree of hope,
otherwise I should not have accepted this job.
- Heikki Talvitie, your predecessor on this post, paid a lot of
attention to the improvement of Turkish-Armenian relations. Are you
going to continue these efforts?
- Essentially, they are two difficult relationships with neighbors in
the region: it's Armenia-Turkey and Georgia-Russia. Both of them will
be among my priorities.
- Energy security is becoming an important issue on the agenda of
Armenia-EU relations . Will you deal with this issue?
- My mandate is broad enough to include the issue of energy
security. Given the developments that have taken place both in the
region and beyond it in last several months, I think there is a reason
to take a more active interest in this issue. Energy security is
definitely much more on the agenda that it used to be.
- Despite numerous efforts and funding provided by the EU for the
development of the regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, little
has been achieved. Do you think such cooperation is possible before
the resolution of existing conflicts?
- Efforts to establish the regional cooperation should be developed in
parallel with the efforts to resolve the conflicts. Probably, it
should involve a broader context than just the countries of the South
Caucasus.
- What is your opinion about the prospects of further democratic
transformation in Armenia?
- Democratic standards are always at the forefront of the interest of
the EU. I have experience from my previous jobs as the head of the
OSCE Mission in Latvia and then in Croatia, where I was monitoring
similar issues and giving support in overcoming obstacles related to
democratic institutions, electoral systems, etc. Of course, these
issues are not easy, they are also problems in many mature
democracies. But as long as there is a mutual commitment and
willingness to resolve the existing difficulties, I am confident that
the issues related to the development of democratic institutions will
not be a major obstacle.
- We know that you have visited Armenia after the 1988
earthquake. Could you tell us more about this experience?
- That was really one of the most defining moments in my life. I spent
a week in Leninakan immediately after the earthquake. I was working in
the Embassy of Sweden in the USSR and came to Leninakan two days after
the earthquake together with the Swedish rescue team. We were
searching through the ruins after the survivors.
It was a heartbreaking experience, but at the same time I felt huge
respect for the dignity and the resilience of the people who were so
severely affected by the earthquake. I am very much looking forward to
go back to this area and see what the situation there is now.