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IT IS NOT ON EU'S AGENDA TO REPLACE FRANCE IN OSCE MINSKH GROUP: TEFAN FULE
ARMENPRESS
20 June, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenia has announced development
of relations with the European Union one of its priorities. About
Armenia- European Union relations, influence of the Armenian elections
on these relations and Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement Armenpress
interviewed EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood
Policy, Mr tefan Fule.
- Mr. Commissioner, in these latest months it was affirmed by Armenian
authorities and the European partners that Parliamentary elections are
of a paramount importance for the future of Armenia-EU relations. Now
after the elections, what is your assessment of these elections?
-High Representative Ashton and myself issued a statement on 8 May,
where we welcome, based on the preliminary findings by OSCE/ODIHR,
the efforts by the Armenian authorities to hold the parliamentary
elections in a way which shows progress towards more transparent and
competitive elections. However, we still believe that those elections
also demonstrated the need to address a number of issues in order
to fully meet internationally recognized democratic standards. The
issues I refer to are for example the inaccuracies in the voters lists,
violation of campaign-related provisions of the Electoral Code, the
need to reinforce campaign financing rules and the need to review the
legal framework for complaints and appeals. It will be very important
to address the shortcomings identified thoroughly in the run up to
the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for the beginning of
next year.
- What is your perspective on Armenia-EU relations after the
Parliamentary elections and what are the expectations of European
partners from Armenia's presidential elections?
-Armenia-EU relations are dynamically developing, especially with
Armenia actively engaged in all aspects of the Eastern Partnership,
making very good progress in all areas of the Association Agreement
negotiated since July 2010. The EU in turn is continuously willing
to support all ambitious reform efforts undertaken in Armenia. In the
logic of the "more for more" approach, when one of the key benchmarks
is holding of democratic and credible elections, we are ready to step
up our assistance even further once the shortcoming mentioned earlier
are properly addressed.
- Still the promotion of democracy is an important sticking point for
deepening relations in the Eastern Partnership framework. How do you
assess the progress of Armenia in this regard and what can we expect
in near future?
-High Representative Ashton and myself have stated in the European
Neighbourhood Policy Progress report on Armenia last month that while
there is a serious effort to address issues related to human rights
and fundamental freedoms, further work needs to be done especially
in the implementation of legislation. Positive steps were taken to
prepare the country for the upcoming elections, with changes in the
electoral code and a presidential amnesty for the remaining persons
detained for charges related to the March 2008 events. However, we
still have concerns about media freedom relating to the limitations
on TV broadcasting and to civil law suits for insult and defamation.
Despite the reform effort, public trust in the judiciary continues
to be low, and the perception of corruption is still high.
Nevertheless, let me assure you that the EU will continue to support
Armenia's efforts in these domains, through dialogue and different
cooperation instruments.
- In any case regional conflicts remain the main issues for the South
Caucasus. Recently it is much declared that the EU wants to have larger
engagement in the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What is
the main framework that the EU wishes to engage with?
-We have outlined this framework several times, most recently in
February when the Council of the European Union in its Conclusions
on the South Caucasus expressed its concern over the slow progress
in the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It confirmed the EU's continuing support to
the OSCE Minsk Group, reiterated its support for the Madrid principles
and called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to step up their efforts to
reach agreement on those principles as a basis for peace. The EU also
expressed its readiness 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, I myself also discussed
with the President of Armenia the need for unconditional access for
representatives of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.
I should also mention that the Council invited 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.
-There were also many speculations that the EU was going to replace
France in the OSCE Minsk Group. Do you consider this probable and, if
realized, how can that step have a positive impact on the negotiations
process?
-It is not on EU's agenda to change this format of undertaking
efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in and around
Nagorno-Karabakh. As I said, the Council has confirmed the EU's
continuing support to the OSCE Minsk Group. And the EU can still,
however, provide enhanced support for confidence building measures.
tefan Fule was interviewed by Armen Ghazaryan.
From: Baghdasarian
ARMENPRESS
20 June, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenia has announced development
of relations with the European Union one of its priorities. About
Armenia- European Union relations, influence of the Armenian elections
on these relations and Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement Armenpress
interviewed EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood
Policy, Mr tefan Fule.
- Mr. Commissioner, in these latest months it was affirmed by Armenian
authorities and the European partners that Parliamentary elections are
of a paramount importance for the future of Armenia-EU relations. Now
after the elections, what is your assessment of these elections?
-High Representative Ashton and myself issued a statement on 8 May,
where we welcome, based on the preliminary findings by OSCE/ODIHR,
the efforts by the Armenian authorities to hold the parliamentary
elections in a way which shows progress towards more transparent and
competitive elections. However, we still believe that those elections
also demonstrated the need to address a number of issues in order
to fully meet internationally recognized democratic standards. The
issues I refer to are for example the inaccuracies in the voters lists,
violation of campaign-related provisions of the Electoral Code, the
need to reinforce campaign financing rules and the need to review the
legal framework for complaints and appeals. It will be very important
to address the shortcomings identified thoroughly in the run up to
the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for the beginning of
next year.
- What is your perspective on Armenia-EU relations after the
Parliamentary elections and what are the expectations of European
partners from Armenia's presidential elections?
-Armenia-EU relations are dynamically developing, especially with
Armenia actively engaged in all aspects of the Eastern Partnership,
making very good progress in all areas of the Association Agreement
negotiated since July 2010. The EU in turn is continuously willing
to support all ambitious reform efforts undertaken in Armenia. In the
logic of the "more for more" approach, when one of the key benchmarks
is holding of democratic and credible elections, we are ready to step
up our assistance even further once the shortcoming mentioned earlier
are properly addressed.
- Still the promotion of democracy is an important sticking point for
deepening relations in the Eastern Partnership framework. How do you
assess the progress of Armenia in this regard and what can we expect
in near future?
-High Representative Ashton and myself have stated in the European
Neighbourhood Policy Progress report on Armenia last month that while
there is a serious effort to address issues related to human rights
and fundamental freedoms, further work needs to be done especially
in the implementation of legislation. Positive steps were taken to
prepare the country for the upcoming elections, with changes in the
electoral code and a presidential amnesty for the remaining persons
detained for charges related to the March 2008 events. However, we
still have concerns about media freedom relating to the limitations
on TV broadcasting and to civil law suits for insult and defamation.
Despite the reform effort, public trust in the judiciary continues
to be low, and the perception of corruption is still high.
Nevertheless, let me assure you that the EU will continue to support
Armenia's efforts in these domains, through dialogue and different
cooperation instruments.
- In any case regional conflicts remain the main issues for the South
Caucasus. Recently it is much declared that the EU wants to have larger
engagement in the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. What is
the main framework that the EU wishes to engage with?
-We have outlined this framework several times, most recently in
February when the Council of the European Union in its Conclusions
on the South Caucasus expressed its concern over the slow progress
in the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It confirmed the EU's continuing support to
the OSCE Minsk Group, reiterated its support for the Madrid principles
and called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to step up their efforts to
reach agreement on those principles as a basis for peace. The EU also
expressed its readiness 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, I myself also discussed
with the President of Armenia the need for unconditional access for
representatives of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.
I should also mention that the Council invited 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.
-There were also many speculations that the EU was going to replace
France in the OSCE Minsk Group. Do you consider this probable and, if
realized, how can that step have a positive impact on the negotiations
process?
-It is not on EU's agenda to change this format of undertaking
efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in and around
Nagorno-Karabakh. As I said, the Council has confirmed the EU's
continuing support to the OSCE Minsk Group. And the EU can still,
however, provide enhanced support for confidence building measures.
tefan Fule was interviewed by Armen Ghazaryan.
From: Baghdasarian