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ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 9, 2013 Saturday 05:31 PM GMT+4
EU should appoint new special envoy to Minsk Group - view
BAKU March 9
- The EU should appoint a new special envoy to the OSCE Minsk Group,
which mediates in the Karabakh settlement, said Ali Gasanov, head of
the social-political department of the Azerbaijani president's staff.
In an interview with Belgium's New Europe on Saturday, Gasanov said,
"We hope that the EU will be able have a strong impact on the
settlement of the conflict. At present, France represents the EU in
the Minsk Group. But we believe that in the future the European Union
should appoint its special envoy to the Minsk Group. This will help
strengthen the EU positions in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict."
At the same time, the Azerbaijani official stressed, "One cannot talk
about general security in Europe if peace is not ensured in the South
Caucasus."
Commenting on relations with Russia, he said Azerbaijan considered it
"the major player in the region".
"We believe it natural that Russia has its interests in the region. We
maintain partnership with the EU, which is our neighbour. That is why
I won't share relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, and between
Azerbaijan and the EU. We don't want to make any choice. Russia and
the EU are our good partners and we cooperate with them based on our
national interests," Gasanov said.
He noted that Russia was the main gas and oil supplier to Europe. "We
also supply gas and oil to Europe. But we aren't competitors because
Russia has its market and we have our own market," Gasanov added.
He emphasised that Azerbaijan was not a member of the Collective
Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), which had been founded on
Russia's initiative.
However, Gasanov said Azerbaijan was not a NATO member. "Thus, our
position on security is independent. Of course, we are NATO's partner
in different structures. But we are not NATO's member and we're not
planning to join the Alliance," Gasanov said, adding that Azerbaijan
"has no plans to join the CSTO".
March 9, 2013 Saturday 05:31 PM GMT+4
EU should appoint new special envoy to Minsk Group - view
BAKU March 9
- The EU should appoint a new special envoy to the OSCE Minsk Group,
which mediates in the Karabakh settlement, said Ali Gasanov, head of
the social-political department of the Azerbaijani president's staff.
In an interview with Belgium's New Europe on Saturday, Gasanov said,
"We hope that the EU will be able have a strong impact on the
settlement of the conflict. At present, France represents the EU in
the Minsk Group. But we believe that in the future the European Union
should appoint its special envoy to the Minsk Group. This will help
strengthen the EU positions in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict."
At the same time, the Azerbaijani official stressed, "One cannot talk
about general security in Europe if peace is not ensured in the South
Caucasus."
Commenting on relations with Russia, he said Azerbaijan considered it
"the major player in the region".
"We believe it natural that Russia has its interests in the region. We
maintain partnership with the EU, which is our neighbour. That is why
I won't share relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, and between
Azerbaijan and the EU. We don't want to make any choice. Russia and
the EU are our good partners and we cooperate with them based on our
national interests," Gasanov said.
He noted that Russia was the main gas and oil supplier to Europe. "We
also supply gas and oil to Europe. But we aren't competitors because
Russia has its market and we have our own market," Gasanov added.
He emphasised that Azerbaijan was not a member of the Collective
Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), which had been founded on
Russia's initiative.
However, Gasanov said Azerbaijan was not a NATO member. "Thus, our
position on security is independent. Of course, we are NATO's partner
in different structures. But we are not NATO's member and we're not
planning to join the Alliance," Gasanov said, adding that Azerbaijan
"has no plans to join the CSTO".