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EU READY TO STEP UP EFFORTS TOWARDS NAGORNY KARABAKH SETTLEMENT, SAYS ASHTON
ENPI Info Centre
July 7 2011
Armenia and Azerbaijan need to redouble their efforts to find an
agreement on Nagorny Karabakh before the end of this year, and the
EU should be prepared to take on significant responsibilities in the
implementation of a settlement, EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has told Members of the
European Parliament.
In a speech in Strasbourg on 6 July, she said the EU was "ready and
committed to step up its efforts in support of the work of the Minsk
Group Co-Chairs."
The EU foreign affairs chief expressed regret that President Aliyev
of Azerbaijan and President Sargisyan of Armenia had not taken the
opportunity to reach a compromise at recent talks in Kazan, Russia,
and urged them to continue efforts towards an agreement on the Basic
Principles of the settlement as "the first step in a process leading to
the drafting of a formal peace agreement, and then its implementation."
Ashton emphasized that the agreement on the Basic Principles should
be reached before domestic priorities take over next year: elections
in Armenia in 2012, and in Azerbaijan in 2013.
She said the peaceful settlement of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict
was a key strategic interest of the EU. It would transform the South
Caucasus region, pave the way towards political and regional stability,
and new economic opportunities, and the South Caucasus could finally
become what it should have been already - a gateway between Europe
and Asia, said Catherine Ashton.
She underlined that the EU had an ambitious agenda for the countries
of the South Caucasus, namely new Association Agreements, as well as
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas, including improved access
to the EU's internal market.
The High Representative concluded by saying: "I also believe more
confident, attractive and modern countries with ambitious reform
agendas are in a stronger position to overcome the difficult legacies
of the past." (ENPI Info Centre)
From: Baghdasarian
ENPI Info Centre
July 7 2011
Armenia and Azerbaijan need to redouble their efforts to find an
agreement on Nagorny Karabakh before the end of this year, and the
EU should be prepared to take on significant responsibilities in the
implementation of a settlement, EU High Representative for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has told Members of the
European Parliament.
In a speech in Strasbourg on 6 July, she said the EU was "ready and
committed to step up its efforts in support of the work of the Minsk
Group Co-Chairs."
The EU foreign affairs chief expressed regret that President Aliyev
of Azerbaijan and President Sargisyan of Armenia had not taken the
opportunity to reach a compromise at recent talks in Kazan, Russia,
and urged them to continue efforts towards an agreement on the Basic
Principles of the settlement as "the first step in a process leading to
the drafting of a formal peace agreement, and then its implementation."
Ashton emphasized that the agreement on the Basic Principles should
be reached before domestic priorities take over next year: elections
in Armenia in 2012, and in Azerbaijan in 2013.
She said the peaceful settlement of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict
was a key strategic interest of the EU. It would transform the South
Caucasus region, pave the way towards political and regional stability,
and new economic opportunities, and the South Caucasus could finally
become what it should have been already - a gateway between Europe
and Asia, said Catherine Ashton.
She underlined that the EU had an ambitious agenda for the countries
of the South Caucasus, namely new Association Agreements, as well as
Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas, including improved access
to the EU's internal market.
The High Representative concluded by saying: "I also believe more
confident, attractive and modern countries with ambitious reform
agendas are in a stronger position to overcome the difficult legacies
of the past." (ENPI Info Centre)
From: Baghdasarian