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MEMBER STATES URGE EARLY END TO CONFLICTS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
Europolitics.info
http://www.europolitics.info/external-policies/member-states-urge-early-end-to-conflicts-in-south-caucasus-art327184-44.html
Feb 27 2012
While welcoming the progress made in negotiations of association
agreements between the EU and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, the
Foreign Affairs Council expressed its concerns, on 27 February, over
the ongoing conflicts in the region between Armenia and Azerbaijan
and between Georgia and Russia. "The EU reiterates its firm support
for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within
its internationally recognised borders and reiterates its concern
about continuing Russian military and security-related presence and
infrastructure reinforcements in the Georgian breakaway regions of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia," the Council said in a statement. The
ministers called on Russia to "fulfill its obligations under the
ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008". They said they were ready to
enhance their engagement with the two breakaway regions, "including
to the benefit of the people living in these regions". Ministers also
expressed concerns "at the slow progress in the negotiations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,"
especially since the recent increase of tensions along the line of
contact between the two states. They underlined "the importance of
urgent steps to implement the ceasefire and to adopt appropriate
confidence-building measures," which they said they were ready
to support.
The Council participants welcomed the imminent start of visa
facilitation and readmission agreement negotiations with Azerbaijan
and Armenia and confirmed their readiness to promote the mobility of
citizens of Georgia by taking gradual steps, "including establishing
a two-phased visa action plan". Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is
travelling to Georgia on 28 February to launch negotiations on a deep
and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA).
Europolitics.info
http://www.europolitics.info/external-policies/member-states-urge-early-end-to-conflicts-in-south-caucasus-art327184-44.html
Feb 27 2012
While welcoming the progress made in negotiations of association
agreements between the EU and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, the
Foreign Affairs Council expressed its concerns, on 27 February, over
the ongoing conflicts in the region between Armenia and Azerbaijan
and between Georgia and Russia. "The EU reiterates its firm support
for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within
its internationally recognised borders and reiterates its concern
about continuing Russian military and security-related presence and
infrastructure reinforcements in the Georgian breakaway regions of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia," the Council said in a statement. The
ministers called on Russia to "fulfill its obligations under the
ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008". They said they were ready to
enhance their engagement with the two breakaway regions, "including
to the benefit of the people living in these regions". Ministers also
expressed concerns "at the slow progress in the negotiations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,"
especially since the recent increase of tensions along the line of
contact between the two states. They underlined "the importance of
urgent steps to implement the ceasefire and to adopt appropriate
confidence-building measures," which they said they were ready
to support.
The Council participants welcomed the imminent start of visa
facilitation and readmission agreement negotiations with Azerbaijan
and Armenia and confirmed their readiness to promote the mobility of
citizens of Georgia by taking gradual steps, "including establishing
a two-phased visa action plan". Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is
travelling to Georgia on 28 February to launch negotiations on a deep
and comprehensive free trade area (DCFTA).