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US SENATE HEARING ON EURASIAN PARTNERSHIP: WHAT TO DO WITH BELARUS AND AZERBAIJAN?
Azeri Report, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2013
By Alakbar Raufoglu, Turan News Agency
WASHINGTON, DC. November 15, 2013: The leading US lawmaker and the
Eurasian watchers on Thursday expressed their concerns over the future
of US/European dealing with countries like Belarus and Azerbaijan,
ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in
Vilnius later this month, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
"Release the political prisoners!" Senator Chris Murphy, who leads
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' Subcommittee on European
Affairs, sent a surprise message to the Azeri government, adding that
it would be "a very positive step" in a wake of lots of questions
with respect to the elections in Azerbaijan.
Senator Murphy's committee hosted top State Department officials and
Eurasia analysts at the hearing on "A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern
Partnership" to shed light on the countries in Eastern Europe and
the Caucasus that might someday possibly join the EU.
Discussions focused on some do's and don'ts for partners in order to
get 'treats' at the summit, as the western diplomats work on in the
form of various agreements that may or may not be signed.
The testifiers of the hearing, -- Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, Vice President of
Atlantic Council Damon Wilson, as well as the Heritage Foundation
analyst Ariel Cohen and Peterson Institute's Anders Aslund raised their
concerns about the Russian movements before the summit as they put it,
Moscow "is doing everything possible to intimidate the countries to
keep them from signing new trade, economic, and political accords
with Brussels."
"What does Armenia's decision to join to the Customs Union mean for
the prospect of 2015 and sometimes after for Azerbaijan to initial
agreement with the EU?" senator Murphy asked suddenly.
Clearly, he added, Azerbaijan has "a long way to go, especially
with recent reports on the quality of this last election... But
the country, especially with their energy resources, will be a very
important partner."
Answering the question, Damon Wilson stated that the Vilnius summit
would be about the next chapter of the European integration and
"that's not going to include Belarus and Azerbaijan in this particular
chapter."
"We don't force the countries into the Euro Atlantic institutions -- it
doesn't reflect our principles. Both decisions reflect the societies,
the countries and their leaders," he said, adding, it's clear that
Belarus' Lukashenko "is not the leader that will take his country
to Europe."
"We need to do what we can to support the democratic opposition,
in very difficult circumstances."
In Azerbaijan, he added, "there is quite strong interest in the
relationship with the west."
"It's important to figure out how we'll be able to engage the right
way, without sacrificing our values and concerns about the development
of democracy there."
In the meantime, the analyst sad, while talking about the long-term
diplomacy, the EU "needs to think about Belarus and Azerbaijan not
as being left out in Vilnius".
"Average Azeris and Belarusians think that their country is in a way
that is not very different from where the Ukraine is today. We need
to keep that perspective," he emphasized.
Ariel Cohen, in his part, said the situation "is complicated" with
Azerbaijan as the country, being a Shi'a secular in the region,
is trying to pursue the western policy with its energy supplies.
"The problem with the initialing of the association agreement between
Azerbaijan and EU was the reluctance of the EU of recognizing the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and concerns about the presidential
elections," he claimed adding, if Azeris and Europeans are willing to
work on these differences out and if there is a progress in terms of
the rule of law and democracy, it will be in the interest of the EU,
Azerbaijan and USA that the association agreement will be moving
forward.
In her speech, Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland said, while the
six Eastern Partnership countries have responded in various ways to
the EU's offer to integrate into Europe's common structures, the US
"strongly supports the process as a key ingredient in our effort to
cement a "Europe whole and free and at peace" - a shared policy goal
of the US and EU member states since the Berlin Wall fell almost 25
years ago."
Washington supports the sovereign right of these countries to choose
their own future, and we welcome their closer relationship with the EU.
"I would note in this regard that any form of pressure to prevent
sovereign states from pursuing greater integration with the EU, or any
organization of their choosing, would contravene obligations under the
OSCE Helsinki Principles and the Charter of Paris. The message we are
sending in the neighborhood is that all countries benefit when their
neighbors open their markets and become more stable and prosperous,"
she said.
On Armenia, although President Sarkisian announced that his country
would join the Eurasian Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan, and
Belarus, "which is incompatible with signing an Association Agreement"
however both the EU and Armenia remain committed to pursuing a deeper
relationship, and they are examining ways to continue this partnership.
"The US will also continue broad engagement with Armenia on
Euro-Atlantic integration, including in the economic sphere."
As for Azerbaijan, it is currently negotiating the contours of its
own partnership track with the EU, and the US "continues to encourage
Azerbaijan to build the democratic and economic institutions and
conduct the reforms necessary for a deeper relationship with the
Euro-Atlantic community."
"We recognize that a democratic, prosperous and secure Azerbaijan
will benefit not only the Azerbaijani people but also its neighbors,"
she added. --0--
http://azerireport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4199&Ite mid=53
Azeri Report, Azerbaijan
Nov 15 2013
By Alakbar Raufoglu, Turan News Agency
WASHINGTON, DC. November 15, 2013: The leading US lawmaker and the
Eurasian watchers on Thursday expressed their concerns over the future
of US/European dealing with countries like Belarus and Azerbaijan,
ahead of the Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in
Vilnius later this month, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
"Release the political prisoners!" Senator Chris Murphy, who leads
the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' Subcommittee on European
Affairs, sent a surprise message to the Azeri government, adding that
it would be "a very positive step" in a wake of lots of questions
with respect to the elections in Azerbaijan.
Senator Murphy's committee hosted top State Department officials and
Eurasia analysts at the hearing on "A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern
Partnership" to shed light on the countries in Eastern Europe and
the Caucasus that might someday possibly join the EU.
Discussions focused on some do's and don'ts for partners in order to
get 'treats' at the summit, as the western diplomats work on in the
form of various agreements that may or may not be signed.
The testifiers of the hearing, -- Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, Vice President of
Atlantic Council Damon Wilson, as well as the Heritage Foundation
analyst Ariel Cohen and Peterson Institute's Anders Aslund raised their
concerns about the Russian movements before the summit as they put it,
Moscow "is doing everything possible to intimidate the countries to
keep them from signing new trade, economic, and political accords
with Brussels."
"What does Armenia's decision to join to the Customs Union mean for
the prospect of 2015 and sometimes after for Azerbaijan to initial
agreement with the EU?" senator Murphy asked suddenly.
Clearly, he added, Azerbaijan has "a long way to go, especially
with recent reports on the quality of this last election... But
the country, especially with their energy resources, will be a very
important partner."
Answering the question, Damon Wilson stated that the Vilnius summit
would be about the next chapter of the European integration and
"that's not going to include Belarus and Azerbaijan in this particular
chapter."
"We don't force the countries into the Euro Atlantic institutions -- it
doesn't reflect our principles. Both decisions reflect the societies,
the countries and their leaders," he said, adding, it's clear that
Belarus' Lukashenko "is not the leader that will take his country
to Europe."
"We need to do what we can to support the democratic opposition,
in very difficult circumstances."
In Azerbaijan, he added, "there is quite strong interest in the
relationship with the west."
"It's important to figure out how we'll be able to engage the right
way, without sacrificing our values and concerns about the development
of democracy there."
In the meantime, the analyst sad, while talking about the long-term
diplomacy, the EU "needs to think about Belarus and Azerbaijan not
as being left out in Vilnius".
"Average Azeris and Belarusians think that their country is in a way
that is not very different from where the Ukraine is today. We need
to keep that perspective," he emphasized.
Ariel Cohen, in his part, said the situation "is complicated" with
Azerbaijan as the country, being a Shi'a secular in the region,
is trying to pursue the western policy with its energy supplies.
"The problem with the initialing of the association agreement between
Azerbaijan and EU was the reluctance of the EU of recognizing the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and concerns about the presidential
elections," he claimed adding, if Azeris and Europeans are willing to
work on these differences out and if there is a progress in terms of
the rule of law and democracy, it will be in the interest of the EU,
Azerbaijan and USA that the association agreement will be moving
forward.
In her speech, Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland said, while the
six Eastern Partnership countries have responded in various ways to
the EU's offer to integrate into Europe's common structures, the US
"strongly supports the process as a key ingredient in our effort to
cement a "Europe whole and free and at peace" - a shared policy goal
of the US and EU member states since the Berlin Wall fell almost 25
years ago."
Washington supports the sovereign right of these countries to choose
their own future, and we welcome their closer relationship with the EU.
"I would note in this regard that any form of pressure to prevent
sovereign states from pursuing greater integration with the EU, or any
organization of their choosing, would contravene obligations under the
OSCE Helsinki Principles and the Charter of Paris. The message we are
sending in the neighborhood is that all countries benefit when their
neighbors open their markets and become more stable and prosperous,"
she said.
On Armenia, although President Sarkisian announced that his country
would join the Eurasian Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan, and
Belarus, "which is incompatible with signing an Association Agreement"
however both the EU and Armenia remain committed to pursuing a deeper
relationship, and they are examining ways to continue this partnership.
"The US will also continue broad engagement with Armenia on
Euro-Atlantic integration, including in the economic sphere."
As for Azerbaijan, it is currently negotiating the contours of its
own partnership track with the EU, and the US "continues to encourage
Azerbaijan to build the democratic and economic institutions and
conduct the reforms necessary for a deeper relationship with the
Euro-Atlantic community."
"We recognize that a democratic, prosperous and secure Azerbaijan
will benefit not only the Azerbaijani people but also its neighbors,"
she added. --0--
http://azerireport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4199&Ite mid=53