EU includes Southern Caucasus countries in neighbourhood policy

EurActiv.com, Belgium
June 15 2004

In short:
Fine-tuning its European Neighbourhood Policy, the Council has
decided to include Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the process.

Brief news:
The EU will include Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in its European
Neighbourhood Policy framework through which it aims to improve
relations with the Union’s new neighbours to the East and South (see
also EurActiv 13 May 2004). The decision to this effect, which was
reached by the External Relations Council in Luxembourg on 14 June,
has been hailed by EU foreign ministers as a “significant step
forward in the Union’s engagement with this region”.

The broad aim of the ENP is for the EU and its neighbours to “share
the benefits of an enlarged EU”. The ENP “offers the prospect of an
increasingly close relationship, in the spirit of the Council’s
conclusions of 16 June 2003”. The Council decided to pursue the ENP
through specific Action Plans with the countries concerned. The plans
should have a minimum duration of three years and should promote
regional cooperation.

According to the Council conclusions, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
will be given the same opportunity to develop links with the EU,
including through action plans, and will be treated on their
individual merits in line with the general policy of the ENP.

Meanwhile, the Council has invited the Commission to finalise
exploratory talks on the draft Action Plans with Jordan, Moldova,
Morocco, Tunisia, Ukraine, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress