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EU REPRESENTATIVE IN KARABAKH
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/politics26231.html
Published: 15:46:23 - 17/05/2012
The European Union understands it will have to forget about
neighborhood with the South Caucasus countries without Karabakh's
European integration. So, the EU puts the precondition of free access
to Karabakh.
Karabakh is part of the South Caucasus, not a small part of it, and
geographically it is illogical to integrate the South Caucasus with
Europe excluding a large part of it. In the development of plans of
integration of Armenia and Azerbaijan (it is called EU membership,
association, other) one of the main issues was how Karabakh should
be involved in these processes.
Baku insisted on territorial integrity, Armenia insisted on Karabakh's
independence and stated plainly that Karabakh cannot be part of
Azerbaijan.
The European institutions will have to make a tough decision. Despite
the statement on support to territorial integrity, it is evident
that they do not see Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, otherwise they
would not promote the process of settlement which is to determine
Karabakh's status.
However, apparently, the European integration of Armenia and Azerbaijan
has reached the limit where it is already impossible to leave out
Karabakh. The European Union needs to propose its approaches.
Approaches are worked out and proposed to the sides for discussion.
The European Union has prepared a package of measures to build
confidence between the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The
Azerbaijani mass media report the head of EU representation in
Azerbaijan Roland Kobia stated about this. "The conflict is lasting
too long; people die at the line of contact. We support the activities
of the OSCE Minsk Group but along with official negotiations it is
also very important to restore trust between publics," the envoy said.
At the same time, he did not rule out that soon EU representatives will
visit Karabakh. "If the EU official representative visits Karabakh,
this does not mean the EU considers this territory independent,"
said Roland Kobia. He recalled that at the end of February, 27 EU
foreign ministers adopted a resolution in which they appealed to
ensure access of the EU Special Representative Philipp Lefort to
Nagorno-Karabakh. "This issue was discussed by both countries but
there has been no decision yet". On May 15 the European Commission
released the reports on Armenia and Azerbaijan in which it called to
ensure access of the EU representatives to Karabakh.
The statement of the EU envoy to Azerbaijan is preparing the ground.
Though, properly speaking, what can Azerbaijan do if representative
Lefort arrives in Karabakh? In the end, the OSCE office has been
operating in Armenia for long, Russian, French, U.S. parliamentarians
visit Karabakh and Azerbaijan only includes them on its "black list".
Baku may suspend its participation in the Eastern Partnership. But
it may be better than now.
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/politics26231.html
Published: 15:46:23 - 17/05/2012
The European Union understands it will have to forget about
neighborhood with the South Caucasus countries without Karabakh's
European integration. So, the EU puts the precondition of free access
to Karabakh.
Karabakh is part of the South Caucasus, not a small part of it, and
geographically it is illogical to integrate the South Caucasus with
Europe excluding a large part of it. In the development of plans of
integration of Armenia and Azerbaijan (it is called EU membership,
association, other) one of the main issues was how Karabakh should
be involved in these processes.
Baku insisted on territorial integrity, Armenia insisted on Karabakh's
independence and stated plainly that Karabakh cannot be part of
Azerbaijan.
The European institutions will have to make a tough decision. Despite
the statement on support to territorial integrity, it is evident
that they do not see Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, otherwise they
would not promote the process of settlement which is to determine
Karabakh's status.
However, apparently, the European integration of Armenia and Azerbaijan
has reached the limit where it is already impossible to leave out
Karabakh. The European Union needs to propose its approaches.
Approaches are worked out and proposed to the sides for discussion.
The European Union has prepared a package of measures to build
confidence between the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The
Azerbaijani mass media report the head of EU representation in
Azerbaijan Roland Kobia stated about this. "The conflict is lasting
too long; people die at the line of contact. We support the activities
of the OSCE Minsk Group but along with official negotiations it is
also very important to restore trust between publics," the envoy said.
At the same time, he did not rule out that soon EU representatives will
visit Karabakh. "If the EU official representative visits Karabakh,
this does not mean the EU considers this territory independent,"
said Roland Kobia. He recalled that at the end of February, 27 EU
foreign ministers adopted a resolution in which they appealed to
ensure access of the EU Special Representative Philipp Lefort to
Nagorno-Karabakh. "This issue was discussed by both countries but
there has been no decision yet". On May 15 the European Commission
released the reports on Armenia and Azerbaijan in which it called to
ensure access of the EU representatives to Karabakh.
The statement of the EU envoy to Azerbaijan is preparing the ground.
Though, properly speaking, what can Azerbaijan do if representative
Lefort arrives in Karabakh? In the end, the OSCE office has been
operating in Armenia for long, Russian, French, U.S. parliamentarians
visit Karabakh and Azerbaijan only includes them on its "black list".
Baku may suspend its participation in the Eastern Partnership. But
it may be better than now.