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FOREIGN MINISTER TUOMIOJA TO VISIT ARMENIA
ARMENPRESS
APRIL 2, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will
visit Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia on 2-4 April, as Armenpress
reports citing the Finnish MFA press release. The purpose of the trip
is to express Finnish support to the social reforms in the countries
of South Caucasus, discuss possibilities for settling the lingering
conflicts, hear out the countries' views about the situation in the
wider region as well as seek endorsement for Finnish candidature for
the UN Security Council term 2013-14. Moreover, Finland's activities
and objectives in peace mediation will be promoted.
In addition to political leaders of each country, Minister Tuomioja
will meet representatives of the opposition and NGO s.
The visits take place in an interesting and important phase in the
development of internal policy in the South Caucasian countries.
Armenia has scheduled a parliamentary election in May and Georgia
in October, and each of the three countries will hold presidential
election in 2013. The elections will be a test to the fledgling
democracies of the South Caucasus, and expectations of the
international community are high.
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia belong to the Eastern Partnership
of the EU's European Neighbourhood Policy. The Partnership aims
at bringing the countries closer to the European Union. Finland
encourages Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to fully embrace the
partnership programmes and offers advice in renewing administration.
In the process, Finland promotes respect for shared values and easier
cross-border travel.
As far as mediation processes of the regional long-term conflicts
are concerned, Finland will encourage the countries to find new,
practical approaches. Both the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh between
Azerbaijan and Armenia and the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
after the 2008 war in Georgia are delaying the development in the
South Caucasian countries and contribute to instability in the EU
neighbourhood. The EU co-chairs the Geneva Talks on the conflicts
in Georgia with OSCE and the UN. (The UN representative in the Talks
is Ambassador Antti Turunen.) Finland is a member of the OSCE Minsk
Group seeking a solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Bilateral relations between Finland and the South Caucasian countries
are good but weak, and bilateral trade is scarce for the present.
Finland is implementing regional cooperation projects in South
Caucasus within the framework of the Wider Europe Initiative. The
projects focus on security and sustainability.
In Armenia, on 4 April, Minister Tuomioja will meet with President
Serzh Sarkissian, Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan, Speaker of the
Parliament Samvel Nikoyan and important party factions. The visit
will take place in the middle of election campaigns; the Election
Day is on 6 May. The agenda also includes visit to the Diplomatic
Academy of Armenia, where Minister Tuomioja will give a speech on
Finnish peace mediation activities.
ARMENPRESS
APRIL 2, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will
visit Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia on 2-4 April, as Armenpress
reports citing the Finnish MFA press release. The purpose of the trip
is to express Finnish support to the social reforms in the countries
of South Caucasus, discuss possibilities for settling the lingering
conflicts, hear out the countries' views about the situation in the
wider region as well as seek endorsement for Finnish candidature for
the UN Security Council term 2013-14. Moreover, Finland's activities
and objectives in peace mediation will be promoted.
In addition to political leaders of each country, Minister Tuomioja
will meet representatives of the opposition and NGO s.
The visits take place in an interesting and important phase in the
development of internal policy in the South Caucasian countries.
Armenia has scheduled a parliamentary election in May and Georgia
in October, and each of the three countries will hold presidential
election in 2013. The elections will be a test to the fledgling
democracies of the South Caucasus, and expectations of the
international community are high.
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia belong to the Eastern Partnership
of the EU's European Neighbourhood Policy. The Partnership aims
at bringing the countries closer to the European Union. Finland
encourages Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to fully embrace the
partnership programmes and offers advice in renewing administration.
In the process, Finland promotes respect for shared values and easier
cross-border travel.
As far as mediation processes of the regional long-term conflicts
are concerned, Finland will encourage the countries to find new,
practical approaches. Both the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh between
Azerbaijan and Armenia and the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia
after the 2008 war in Georgia are delaying the development in the
South Caucasian countries and contribute to instability in the EU
neighbourhood. The EU co-chairs the Geneva Talks on the conflicts
in Georgia with OSCE and the UN. (The UN representative in the Talks
is Ambassador Antti Turunen.) Finland is a member of the OSCE Minsk
Group seeking a solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Bilateral relations between Finland and the South Caucasian countries
are good but weak, and bilateral trade is scarce for the present.
Finland is implementing regional cooperation projects in South
Caucasus within the framework of the Wider Europe Initiative. The
projects focus on security and sustainability.
In Armenia, on 4 April, Minister Tuomioja will meet with President
Serzh Sarkissian, Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan, Speaker of the
Parliament Samvel Nikoyan and important party factions. The visit
will take place in the middle of election campaigns; the Election
Day is on 6 May. The agenda also includes visit to the Diplomatic
Academy of Armenia, where Minister Tuomioja will give a speech on
Finnish peace mediation activities.