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TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 10 2006
Resolution of Frozen Conflicts is Essential for S.Caucasus to
Progress - EU High Representative Comments During Interview
Source: Trend
Author: A.Mammadova
10.11.2006
Trend's Interview with EU High Representative Javier Solana
Question: What importance does the European Union attach to the
co-operation with the South Caucasus countries? What factors promote
and broaden the co-operation and what factors impede it?
Answer: The fact of the three South Caucasus countries being
neighbours of the EU, being included in the European Neighbourhood
Policy, already signals the EU's desire for a special relationship
with the region. Having an ENP Action Plan with the three countries
will further deepen our relations by arriving at agreed reform
priorities which the EU will support through partnerships for reform.
The importance the EU attaches to its relations with the South
Caucasus is also reflected in the high number of recent visits by EU
and European officials to the three countries. The EU Special
Representative, in close coordination with the EU Heads of Mission in
Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan, is in constant contact with the
authorities of the three countries in order to facilitate intensive
and trustful communication between the three countries and the EU. In
our contacts with all three governments in the South Caucasus we have
stressed that resolving their frozen conflicts is essential for the
region to progress. Regional stability is necessary for each of those
countries to derive the full benefits from the ENP Action Plans.
Question: How do you estimate the relations between Azerbaijan and
EU? What steps might the EU take after the adoption of the ENP Action
Plan, which is expected during the session of the Council on
cooperation in mid-November?
Answer: The EU considers Azerbaijan a very important partner on
several accounts. The EU-Azerbaijan Action Plan builds on common
values and principles - democracy, human rights, market economy,
challenges such as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, to contribute to conflict resolution and to abide by
international law. We have, after its adoption, the very ambitious
but demanding task of implementing of the Action Plan without delay.
To this end priority actions for the next twelve months should be
identified between Azerbaijan and the EU.
Question: How could the conflicts in the South Caucasus be resolved?
Will the EU remain passive observer of Armenia's aggressive policy
with respect to Azerbaijan, a country that becomes an important
alternative source in providing the energy security of Europe?
Answer: You cannot say the EU remains passive. The EU has done a lot.
The conflicts are at the root of many of the problems that the region
is facing. I underline the importance of continued and sustained
negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan with a view to reaching
an agreement as soon as possible. The EU supports the mediation
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. I hope that the meeting of both
Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 14 November will help to make
further progress.
Also regarding Georgian internal conflicts, the EU considers that
peaceful resolution of these conflicts is of vital importance for the
future of all region. Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus is assisting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
to pursue further political and economic reforms and the sustainable
development of the region, by contributing to the peaceful settlement
of conflicts, and by supporting further cooperation between the
States of the region.
Question: Energy sphere is considered as an important element of
stability and integration, an essential part of foreign policy and
European security policy. How will this factor promote the proximity
between Azerbaijan and EU?
Answer: Energy security is becoming a political challenge for the
entire world. It's not only important for consumers like the EU, but
also for emerging producers that have to face important investments
and competition constraints in order to secure their market's shares.
Strong relations between producers, transit and consumers are the key
answer. The EU has been cooperating with Azerbaijan since its
independence. However, we believe it's time to enhance our
cooperation at strategic level. The Memorandum of Understanding aimed
at establishing a strategic energy partnership, reflects the growing
importance of Azerbaijan as a key energy supplier to the EU as well
as an important transit country for Caspian basin resources.
Question: What are views on the ways of resolution of the Iranian
nuclear problem at present? Does the use of sanctions on this country
remain actual?
Answer: The EU position, which is well-known to Iran, is that it
wants to see a negotiated solution. The EU has repeatedly expressed
its readiness to develop a long-term, durable relationship with Iran.
However, despite calls by the board of the International Atomic
Energy Agency and the UN Security Council, Iran has not agreed to
suspend its uranium enrichment activities, which remains a
precondition for re-entering the negotiations on the basis of the
offer I presented to Iran in June, on behalf of the five permanent
members of the Security Council plus Germany and with the support of
the EU. This issue has been my top priority because it is crucial for
international security. We negotiated for endless hours and my
Iranian counterpart and I established common ground on a number of
subjects. However, as no agreement was reached on the suspension of
enrichment activities, work is now under way on a draft resolution in
the UN Security Council. But the door to negotiations with Iran will
be reopened if Iran indicates its readiness to cooperate and build
confidence. I am certain that the dispute concerning Iran's nuclear
programme can only be solved through negotiation. The framework for
this exists and, indeed, the nuclear issue is just one element -
albeit a key one - of a much broader relationship with Iran, which is
a key partner in regional and world affairs.
Question: What is your position on a draft legislation to criminalize
the denial of so called "Armenians genocide" of 1915, adopted by the
French National Assembly in a first reading?
Answer: The legislation adopted at first reading by the French
National Assembly is an internal French matter and therefore a
separate issue from EU-Turkey relations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Nov 10 2006
Resolution of Frozen Conflicts is Essential for S.Caucasus to
Progress - EU High Representative Comments During Interview
Source: Trend
Author: A.Mammadova
10.11.2006
Trend's Interview with EU High Representative Javier Solana
Question: What importance does the European Union attach to the
co-operation with the South Caucasus countries? What factors promote
and broaden the co-operation and what factors impede it?
Answer: The fact of the three South Caucasus countries being
neighbours of the EU, being included in the European Neighbourhood
Policy, already signals the EU's desire for a special relationship
with the region. Having an ENP Action Plan with the three countries
will further deepen our relations by arriving at agreed reform
priorities which the EU will support through partnerships for reform.
The importance the EU attaches to its relations with the South
Caucasus is also reflected in the high number of recent visits by EU
and European officials to the three countries. The EU Special
Representative, in close coordination with the EU Heads of Mission in
Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan, is in constant contact with the
authorities of the three countries in order to facilitate intensive
and trustful communication between the three countries and the EU. In
our contacts with all three governments in the South Caucasus we have
stressed that resolving their frozen conflicts is essential for the
region to progress. Regional stability is necessary for each of those
countries to derive the full benefits from the ENP Action Plans.
Question: How do you estimate the relations between Azerbaijan and
EU? What steps might the EU take after the adoption of the ENP Action
Plan, which is expected during the session of the Council on
cooperation in mid-November?
Answer: The EU considers Azerbaijan a very important partner on
several accounts. The EU-Azerbaijan Action Plan builds on common
values and principles - democracy, human rights, market economy,
challenges such as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, to contribute to conflict resolution and to abide by
international law. We have, after its adoption, the very ambitious
but demanding task of implementing of the Action Plan without delay.
To this end priority actions for the next twelve months should be
identified between Azerbaijan and the EU.
Question: How could the conflicts in the South Caucasus be resolved?
Will the EU remain passive observer of Armenia's aggressive policy
with respect to Azerbaijan, a country that becomes an important
alternative source in providing the energy security of Europe?
Answer: You cannot say the EU remains passive. The EU has done a lot.
The conflicts are at the root of many of the problems that the region
is facing. I underline the importance of continued and sustained
negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan with a view to reaching
an agreement as soon as possible. The EU supports the mediation
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. I hope that the meeting of both
Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 14 November will help to make
further progress.
Also regarding Georgian internal conflicts, the EU considers that
peaceful resolution of these conflicts is of vital importance for the
future of all region. Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus is assisting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
to pursue further political and economic reforms and the sustainable
development of the region, by contributing to the peaceful settlement
of conflicts, and by supporting further cooperation between the
States of the region.
Question: Energy sphere is considered as an important element of
stability and integration, an essential part of foreign policy and
European security policy. How will this factor promote the proximity
between Azerbaijan and EU?
Answer: Energy security is becoming a political challenge for the
entire world. It's not only important for consumers like the EU, but
also for emerging producers that have to face important investments
and competition constraints in order to secure their market's shares.
Strong relations between producers, transit and consumers are the key
answer. The EU has been cooperating with Azerbaijan since its
independence. However, we believe it's time to enhance our
cooperation at strategic level. The Memorandum of Understanding aimed
at establishing a strategic energy partnership, reflects the growing
importance of Azerbaijan as a key energy supplier to the EU as well
as an important transit country for Caspian basin resources.
Question: What are views on the ways of resolution of the Iranian
nuclear problem at present? Does the use of sanctions on this country
remain actual?
Answer: The EU position, which is well-known to Iran, is that it
wants to see a negotiated solution. The EU has repeatedly expressed
its readiness to develop a long-term, durable relationship with Iran.
However, despite calls by the board of the International Atomic
Energy Agency and the UN Security Council, Iran has not agreed to
suspend its uranium enrichment activities, which remains a
precondition for re-entering the negotiations on the basis of the
offer I presented to Iran in June, on behalf of the five permanent
members of the Security Council plus Germany and with the support of
the EU. This issue has been my top priority because it is crucial for
international security. We negotiated for endless hours and my
Iranian counterpart and I established common ground on a number of
subjects. However, as no agreement was reached on the suspension of
enrichment activities, work is now under way on a draft resolution in
the UN Security Council. But the door to negotiations with Iran will
be reopened if Iran indicates its readiness to cooperate and build
confidence. I am certain that the dispute concerning Iran's nuclear
programme can only be solved through negotiation. The framework for
this exists and, indeed, the nuclear issue is just one element -
albeit a key one - of a much broader relationship with Iran, which is
a key partner in regional and world affairs.
Question: What is your position on a draft legislation to criminalize
the denial of so called "Armenians genocide" of 1915, adopted by the
French National Assembly in a first reading?
Answer: The legislation adopted at first reading by the French
National Assembly is an internal French matter and therefore a
separate issue from EU-Turkey relations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress