ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 24, 2004 Wednesday 7:57 AM Eastern Time

EU discusses involvement of S Caucasus in Wider Europe

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The European Union is discussing a possibility of involving the South
Caucasus in Wider EuropeNew Neighbours Initiative, said Heikki
Talvitie, EU Special Envoy to the South Caucasus.

In his meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan on
Wednesday, Ambassador Talvitie said he is hopeful that this process
would yield positive results. He is in Yerevan on a four-day visit as
part of an extended regional tour

In order to achieve this goal the EU envoy stressed that it would
necessary to develop regional cooperation, encourage economic
relations between the region and West European countries, and settle
the existing conflicts, in particular the crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Talvitie said he is ready to help find a peaceful solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.