Pan Armenian News
TARJA HALONEN: EU WILL SPARE NO EFFORT FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
30.09.2005 03:51
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Achievement of peace within the shortest terms is an
important factor for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Certainly, each party to conflict has its claims. However a compromise
meeting the EU criteria should be achieved. We support the negotiations held
within the OSCE Minsk Group framework. As a state assuming presidency in the
EU we will do everything within the limits of the possible to promote the
peaceful negotiations and provide security of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
citizens. We believe that the New Neighborhood Policy will prove fruitful
for the South Caucasian states’, Finnish President Tarja Halonen stated in
Baku during the joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev. She said she has been to the region with the OSCE Minsk Group
delegation and is informed about the conflict. `In my opinion all the
conflicting parties will derive profit from the peaceful process. The
European Union is interested in the peaceful settlement of the conflict. We
support Azerbaijan’s cooperation with the OSCE and EU,’ Mrs. Halonen noted
adding that the EU will spare no effort for Karabakh conflict settlement.
`The New Neighborhood Policy is very important both for Azerbaijan and the
EU. I welcome your joining to the policy and hope that the negotiations in
this direction will start at the nearest possible date. Democracy in the
region is developing but there is still a great deal of work to be done.
Democracy is a process. I welcome the accession of Azerbaijan to the Council
of Europe. It is obvious that your country is aspired to meet the
commitments undertaken to the CoE’, she said. When commenting on the
forthcoming parliamentary election in Azerbaijan the Finnish President said,
`I believe the authorities and the opposition will act within the criteria
set by the CoE. Let us wait till November. At the moment I call upon the
President and government to hold a democratic election, since the democratic
development of Azerbaijan greatly depends on the upcoming election.’
