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EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE DESCRIBES KARABAKH CONFLICT AS A FIRE THAT IS STILL BURNING
arminfo
Thursday, December 15, 16:18
The European Policy Centre in Brussels on 8 December hosted a round
table meeting on the theme "The EU's role in the South Caucasus".
Ambassador Philippe Lefort, the recently appointed EU Special
Representative to the South Caucasus was the keynote speaker. Other
speakers were the European Parliament Rapporteur on the South Caucasus
Evgeni Kirilov and the Director of LINKS, Dennis Sammut. The meeting
was chaired by EPC Senior Analyst Amanda Paul.
The three speakers reflected on the work that has been done by the
European Union with the region over the last two decades and all
agreed that there had been considerable progress in developing the
relationship with the three countries bilaterally. The issue of the
unresolved conflicts is however a matter of great concern to the
European Union. Both Mr Kirilov and Mr Sammut spoke in favour of a
more robust engagement with the region and for the European Union
to put across its expectations from the governments of the three
countries more forcefully, www.commonspace.eu reports.
Ambassador Lefort described the Karabakh conflict as a fire that is
still burning and said that the internal dynamic is not conducive
to a settlement since both Armenia and Azerbaijan still see an
alternative to compromise. The European Union saw its role at this
point that of supporting confidence building measures, though there
was an understanding that once a breakthrough has been achieved a
much larger forum than the current Minsk Process will be necessary
to put into practise whatever has been agreed.
Speaking about the impact of the EU on the region Ambassador Lefort
said that the three governments must not see the European Union
only as a mechanism for visa facilitation and trade, and that the EU
stood for values and principles that the three countries need to take
into account.
From: A. Papazian
arminfo
Thursday, December 15, 16:18
The European Policy Centre in Brussels on 8 December hosted a round
table meeting on the theme "The EU's role in the South Caucasus".
Ambassador Philippe Lefort, the recently appointed EU Special
Representative to the South Caucasus was the keynote speaker. Other
speakers were the European Parliament Rapporteur on the South Caucasus
Evgeni Kirilov and the Director of LINKS, Dennis Sammut. The meeting
was chaired by EPC Senior Analyst Amanda Paul.
The three speakers reflected on the work that has been done by the
European Union with the region over the last two decades and all
agreed that there had been considerable progress in developing the
relationship with the three countries bilaterally. The issue of the
unresolved conflicts is however a matter of great concern to the
European Union. Both Mr Kirilov and Mr Sammut spoke in favour of a
more robust engagement with the region and for the European Union
to put across its expectations from the governments of the three
countries more forcefully, www.commonspace.eu reports.
Ambassador Lefort described the Karabakh conflict as a fire that is
still burning and said that the internal dynamic is not conducive
to a settlement since both Armenia and Azerbaijan still see an
alternative to compromise. The European Union saw its role at this
point that of supporting confidence building measures, though there
was an understanding that once a breakthrough has been achieved a
much larger forum than the current Minsk Process will be necessary
to put into practise whatever has been agreed.
Speaking about the impact of the EU on the region Ambassador Lefort
said that the three governments must not see the European Union
only as a mechanism for visa facilitation and trade, and that the EU
stood for values and principles that the three countries need to take
into account.
From: A. Papazian