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EXPERT DOES NOT CONSIDER FRANCE WILL WITHDRAW OSCE MINSK GROUP - NEWSPAPER
news.am
March 27, 2012 | 10:53
PARIS. - The European Parliament has recently adopted a document on
Armenia, offering to replace France by the EU in the OSCE Minsk Group.
The document is likely to be passed, as the Parliament has voted
for it and the plenary session does the same. However, it does not
necessarily mean that France has to leave the MG, Gaidz Minassian,
expert at French Foundation for Strategic Research said in an interview
with Armenian Zhamanak (The Times) newspaper.
"We can view the issue from several angles: whether France represents
the EU, or should it leave for another EU member state or should EU
itself to replace France? Engagement in the MG is quite different from
co-chairing the group. If the EU desires to more actively participate
in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, it needs to clarify its format
of participation whether it wants to be a co-chair or just a member
of the MG," the expert said.
The expert considers it is not necessary to claim that the document
was initiated by Turkey and Azerbaijan, as the Europeans have their
own interests. EU has an inner battle, where France and Germany desire
to have a decisive role in important processes. Besides, other member
states will also wish to replace France or Germany. Anyway the expert
does not consider that France will yield.
"I do not consider that France yields its place in the MG. It is more
likely that the French representative becomes the one for the EU as
well," Minasyan concluded.
news.am
March 27, 2012 | 10:53
PARIS. - The European Parliament has recently adopted a document on
Armenia, offering to replace France by the EU in the OSCE Minsk Group.
The document is likely to be passed, as the Parliament has voted
for it and the plenary session does the same. However, it does not
necessarily mean that France has to leave the MG, Gaidz Minassian,
expert at French Foundation for Strategic Research said in an interview
with Armenian Zhamanak (The Times) newspaper.
"We can view the issue from several angles: whether France represents
the EU, or should it leave for another EU member state or should EU
itself to replace France? Engagement in the MG is quite different from
co-chairing the group. If the EU desires to more actively participate
in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, it needs to clarify its format
of participation whether it wants to be a co-chair or just a member
of the MG," the expert said.
The expert considers it is not necessary to claim that the document
was initiated by Turkey and Azerbaijan, as the Europeans have their
own interests. EU has an inner battle, where France and Germany desire
to have a decisive role in important processes. Besides, other member
states will also wish to replace France or Germany. Anyway the expert
does not consider that France will yield.
"I do not consider that France yields its place in the MG. It is more
likely that the French representative becomes the one for the EU as
well," Minasyan concluded.