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THE EU EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN AT THE SLOW PROGRESS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN TO RESOLVE THE NK CONFLICT
APA
Feb 27 2012
Azerbaijan
Brussels. Victoria Dementyeva-APA. The EU takes note of the progress
made in the negotiations on an Association Agreement between the EU and
Azerbaijan and encourages enhanced efforts to make further progress,
reads Council Conclusions on the South Caucasus.
The EU also expresses its commitment to upgrading the trade and
investment provisions of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement,
which would serve as a basis for Azerbaijan's future WTO membership
and a possible DCFTA with the EU, APA reports.
The EU also welcomes the imminent start of Visa Facilitation and
Readmission Agreement negotiations. The EU emphasises the need for
progress in democratic reform, the rule of law and respect for human
rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in freedom of expression
and assembly, as well as principles of international law as a crucial
factor for the further deepening of the EU's bilateral relations
with Azerbaijan. The EU notes that further efforts are required in
this regard. The EU will closely monitor developments in Azerbaijan
leading up to the Presidential elections in 2013.
The EU calls on Azerbaijan to extend an invitation to the Special
Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
for political prisoners.
The EU also stresses the importance of making further efforts
in fighting corruption, as a key condition for the success of all
reform and modernization efforts, especially those affecting economic
development.
The EU recalls the importance of energy issues for EU-Azerbaijan
relations and notes recent intensified cooperation. The EU welcomes
progress in the realisation of the Southern Corridor in this
regard, including the launching of negotiations between Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan and the EU on the development of a Trans-Caspian Pipeline.
The EU expresses its concern at the slow progress in the negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. In this regard, the EU continues to supports the OSCE Minsk
Group and acknowledges in this context the efforts of the President
of the Russian Federation Dmitryi Medvedev to achieve progress in
trilateral talks.
The EU reiterates its support for the Madrid principles and calls on
Armenia and Azerbaijan to step up their efforts to reach agreement
on those principles as a basis for peace. The EU recalls the joint
statement of the presidence of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries at the G8 Summit in Deauville on 26 May 2011 and the
commitments made by the Presidents of both countries in the framework
of the Minsk Group, most recently in Sochi, and calls for their full
implementation. In this regard, the EU expresses concern on increased
tension along the Line of Contact and underlines the importance of
urgent steps to implement the ceasefire and to adopt appropriate
confidence building measures.
The EU stands ready to provide enhanced support for confidence
building measures, in support of and in full complementarity with the
Minsk Group, with a view to facilitating further steps towards the
implementation of peace. In this regard, the EU underlines the need for
unconditional access for representatives of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh
and surrounding regions. The Council invites the High Representative
and the Commission to develop, in close consultation with the OSCE,
post conflict scenarios for Nagorno-Karabakh as a basis for future
EU engagement."
APA
Feb 27 2012
Azerbaijan
Brussels. Victoria Dementyeva-APA. The EU takes note of the progress
made in the negotiations on an Association Agreement between the EU and
Azerbaijan and encourages enhanced efforts to make further progress,
reads Council Conclusions on the South Caucasus.
The EU also expresses its commitment to upgrading the trade and
investment provisions of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement,
which would serve as a basis for Azerbaijan's future WTO membership
and a possible DCFTA with the EU, APA reports.
The EU also welcomes the imminent start of Visa Facilitation and
Readmission Agreement negotiations. The EU emphasises the need for
progress in democratic reform, the rule of law and respect for human
rights and fundamental freedoms, especially in freedom of expression
and assembly, as well as principles of international law as a crucial
factor for the further deepening of the EU's bilateral relations
with Azerbaijan. The EU notes that further efforts are required in
this regard. The EU will closely monitor developments in Azerbaijan
leading up to the Presidential elections in 2013.
The EU calls on Azerbaijan to extend an invitation to the Special
Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
for political prisoners.
The EU also stresses the importance of making further efforts
in fighting corruption, as a key condition for the success of all
reform and modernization efforts, especially those affecting economic
development.
The EU recalls the importance of energy issues for EU-Azerbaijan
relations and notes recent intensified cooperation. The EU welcomes
progress in the realisation of the Southern Corridor in this
regard, including the launching of negotiations between Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan and the EU on the development of a Trans-Caspian Pipeline.
The EU expresses its concern at the slow progress in the negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. In this regard, the EU continues to supports the OSCE Minsk
Group and acknowledges in this context the efforts of the President
of the Russian Federation Dmitryi Medvedev to achieve progress in
trilateral talks.
The EU reiterates its support for the Madrid principles and calls on
Armenia and Azerbaijan to step up their efforts to reach agreement
on those principles as a basis for peace. The EU recalls the joint
statement of the presidence of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries at the G8 Summit in Deauville on 26 May 2011 and the
commitments made by the Presidents of both countries in the framework
of the Minsk Group, most recently in Sochi, and calls for their full
implementation. In this regard, the EU expresses concern on increased
tension along the Line of Contact and underlines the importance of
urgent steps to implement the ceasefire and to adopt appropriate
confidence building measures.
The EU stands ready to provide enhanced support for confidence
building measures, in support of and in full complementarity with the
Minsk Group, with a view to facilitating further steps towards the
implementation of peace. In this regard, the EU underlines the need for
unconditional access for representatives of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh
and surrounding regions. The Council invites the High Representative
and the Commission to develop, in close consultation with the OSCE,
post conflict scenarios for Nagorno-Karabakh as a basis for future
EU engagement."