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CONSULTATIONS ON TRANSCAUCASIA ARE USEFUL DESPITE PROBLEMS - EU ...
Interfax
July 26 2010
Russia
The Geneva consultations on security in Transcaucasia are difficult
but the format is still useful, European Union Special Representative
for the Southern Caucasus Peter Semneby said.
The negotiations continue despite difficulties and it is important
that there is a platform where all interested parties can meet,
he told Interfax.
Semneby said he is hoping these consultations will continue. They
have already brought the results - we have an effective mechanism of
incident prevention and response in the case of Abkhazia. And it is
very important that there is a format that addresses the most pressing
regional issues, he said.
The EU also believes it is premature to conduct any referendum on
the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Any voting on the Nagorno-Karabakh's status can only happen after a
long process. What needs to be done now is to agree upon the principles
of how this [conflict resolution] process should evolve in order to
create guarantees for all parties, Semneby said.
Such principles have already been voiced by the co-chairmen of the OSCE
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Minsk Group,
that is Russia, France and the United States.
I think it is an excellent base for conflict resolution, and the
EU calls on both parties [Azerbaijan and Armenia] to stick to it,
Semneby said.
The stabilization of Turkish-Armenian relations does affect the
Karabakh settlement process, he also said.
Although there is no formal linkage, one cannot deny that whatever
happens in either of these processes affects the atmosphere of trust
and this should be taken into account, he said.
The next round of the consultations on security in Transcaucasia is
scheduled for Tuesday, July 27.
From: A. Papazian
Interfax
July 26 2010
Russia
The Geneva consultations on security in Transcaucasia are difficult
but the format is still useful, European Union Special Representative
for the Southern Caucasus Peter Semneby said.
The negotiations continue despite difficulties and it is important
that there is a platform where all interested parties can meet,
he told Interfax.
Semneby said he is hoping these consultations will continue. They
have already brought the results - we have an effective mechanism of
incident prevention and response in the case of Abkhazia. And it is
very important that there is a format that addresses the most pressing
regional issues, he said.
The EU also believes it is premature to conduct any referendum on
the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Any voting on the Nagorno-Karabakh's status can only happen after a
long process. What needs to be done now is to agree upon the principles
of how this [conflict resolution] process should evolve in order to
create guarantees for all parties, Semneby said.
Such principles have already been voiced by the co-chairmen of the OSCE
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Minsk Group,
that is Russia, France and the United States.
I think it is an excellent base for conflict resolution, and the
EU calls on both parties [Azerbaijan and Armenia] to stick to it,
Semneby said.
The stabilization of Turkish-Armenian relations does affect the
Karabakh settlement process, he also said.
Although there is no formal linkage, one cannot deny that whatever
happens in either of these processes affects the atmosphere of trust
and this should be taken into account, he said.
The next round of the consultations on security in Transcaucasia is
scheduled for Tuesday, July 27.
From: A. Papazian