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MEPS PUSH FOR AGREEMENTS WITH BAKU, YEREVAN
By Kostis Geropoulos
New Europe
http://www.neurope.eu/article/meps-push-agreements-baku-yerevan
April 19 2012
STRASBOURG - On 18 April, European Parliament Members adopted
by a large majority two resolutions that make recommendations to
the Council and the Commission on lines to take when negotiating
association agreements with Azerbaijan and Armenia. MEPs approved the
EU-Azerbaijan resolution with - 520 votes in favour, 32 against and
24 abstentions and the EU-Armenia one with 508 in favour, 29 against
and 27 abstentions.
In a debate that went into the night on 17 April, most MEPs highlighted
Azerbaijan's importance in EU energy security and the creation of
the Southern Gas Corridor, but also warned against human rights
breaches. The MEPs praised Armenia's reform ambitions, but stressed
the need to ensure that its parliamentary elections on 6 May are free
and fair.
The Azerbaijan resolution's rapporteur MEP Anneli Jaatteenmaki from
Finland, Vice-Chair of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and a member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, told New Europe on 18 April that it's important to get
the association agreement "and I understood yesterday evening that
we agree on that. We want it as soon as possible; we don't know yet
how long it would take, but it's important that the European Union
has very good co-operation with both of the countries and also with
Georgia". "For Europe the oil and gas is very important. But it's not
only a question of oil and gas; it's also a question of co-operation,
human rights and democracy," Jaatteenmaki said.
By Kostis Geropoulos
New Europe
http://www.neurope.eu/article/meps-push-agreements-baku-yerevan
April 19 2012
STRASBOURG - On 18 April, European Parliament Members adopted
by a large majority two resolutions that make recommendations to
the Council and the Commission on lines to take when negotiating
association agreements with Azerbaijan and Armenia. MEPs approved the
EU-Azerbaijan resolution with - 520 votes in favour, 32 against and
24 abstentions and the EU-Armenia one with 508 in favour, 29 against
and 27 abstentions.
In a debate that went into the night on 17 April, most MEPs highlighted
Azerbaijan's importance in EU energy security and the creation of
the Southern Gas Corridor, but also warned against human rights
breaches. The MEPs praised Armenia's reform ambitions, but stressed
the need to ensure that its parliamentary elections on 6 May are free
and fair.
The Azerbaijan resolution's rapporteur MEP Anneli Jaatteenmaki from
Finland, Vice-Chair of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and
Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and a member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, told New Europe on 18 April that it's important to get
the association agreement "and I understood yesterday evening that
we agree on that. We want it as soon as possible; we don't know yet
how long it would take, but it's important that the European Union
has very good co-operation with both of the countries and also with
Georgia". "For Europe the oil and gas is very important. But it's not
only a question of oil and gas; it's also a question of co-operation,
human rights and democracy," Jaatteenmaki said.