EUROPEAN UNION’S NEW CAUCASUS SAYS CONFLICT RESOLUTION TOPS HIS LIST

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan
15 Mar 06

The new EU envoy for the South Caucasus has said that the resolution of
“frozen” conflicts will be his priority. In a wide-ranging “exclusive”
interview to Mediamax, Peter Semneby said: “My top priority…is the
resolution of frozen conflicts in the region” and in particular the
one over the disputed region of Nagornyy Karabakh.

He called on countries of the region to cooperate closer which he
said would help them resolve their disputes. The following is an
excerpt from report by the Armenian news agency Mediamax headlined
“Contribution to the conflicts resolution will be my top priority”;
Subheadings have been inserted editorially:

An exclusive interview with Peter Semneby, the EU special
representative for the South Caucasus, to Mediamax news agency

On 1 March, Peter Semneby assumed his responsibilities as the new
European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus.

His first interview in this post Peter Semneby gave to Armenia’s
Mediamax news agency. Mediamax’s special correspondent met Mr Semneby
in Berlin on 12 March.

[Passage omitted: Semneby worked in Croatia, Latvia and the Swedish
embassies in Germany, Ukraine and the USSR]

Ambassador Semneby has had an opportunity to work and travel in the
South Caucasus region on many occasions throughout his career. He
participated in the relief effort immediately following the earthquake
in Armenia in 1988 and was a member of the OSCE Mission in Georgia
when it was first established in 1992.

[Passage omitted: Semneby speaks several languages]

Conflict resolution – “top” priority

[Correspondent] Your mandate includes a number of objectives. Which
one do you consider to be the most important one?

[Semneby] My top priority will be to contribute to the resolution of
frozen conflicts in the region. I am aware of the existing expectations
that the European Union will play a big role after the settlement is
achieved, and this is also something that needs to be prepared. The
conflicts are taking so much political attention, they are consuming
financial resources and they hamper normal development of the countries
in the region.

There are a number of other important issues as well. In particular,
we should continue with the assistance to state building in the three
countries of the South Caucasus, to ensure normal relationships between
the countries of the region, to foster the regional cooperation at
a larger framework than the narrow framework between three countries.

OSCE Minsk Group

[Correspondent] According to your mandate, you have to support the
activities of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. How do you see your
role in this process?

[Semneby] I have only been 10 days in office and hadn’t enough time
to have a formal meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen. I
will, of course, have very close contacts with them to make sure
that whatever initiatives are taken, whatever messages are given,
they are clearly coordinated.

Perhaps, more important is to prepare the ground for what will
happen after the settlement is reached and this can also be used as
an incentive for the parties to come to a settlement.

Karabakh talks

[Correspondent] There were a lot of expectations ahead of the meeting
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in France last month,
and a lot of disappointment after the talks. Do you still believe it
is possible to resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict in 2006?

[Semneby] For sure, I have hopes. I can’t say now whether they are
realistic or not taking into account the fact that the expectations
were dashed at the most recent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents. For having a better understanding I need to make my
first visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan and to talk to the Minsk
Group co-chairmen. But I definitely maintain a high degree of hope,
otherwise I should not have accepted this job.

[Correspondent] Heikki Talvitie, your predecessor in this post, paid
a lot of attention to the improvement of Turkish-Armenian relations.

Are you going to continue these efforts?

Energy security

[Semneby] Essentially, there are two difficult relationships with
neighbours in the region: it’s Armenia-Turkey and Georgia-Russia.

Both of them will be among my priorities.

[Correspondent] Energy security is becoming an important issue on
the agenda of Armenia-EU relations. Will you deal with this issue?

[Semneby] My mandate is broad enough to include the issue of energy
security. Given the developments that have taken place both in the
region and beyond it in last several months, I think there is a
reason to take a more active interest in this issue. Energy security
is definitely much more on the agenda that it used to be.

[Correspondent] Despite numerous efforts and funding provided by the
EU for the development of regional cooperation in the South Caucasus,
little has been achieved. Do you think such cooperation is possible
before the resolution of existing conflicts?

Regional cooperation key to conflict resolution

[Semneby] Efforts to establish regional cooperation should be developed
in parallel with the efforts to resolve the conflicts.

Probably, it should involve a broader context than just the countries
of the South Caucasus.

[Correspondent] What is your opinion about the prospects for further
democratic transformation in Armenia?

[Semneby] Democratic standards are always at the forefront of the
interests of the EU. I have experience from my previous jobs as
head of the OSCE missions in Latvia and then in Croatia, where I
monitored similar issues and gave support in overcoming obstacles
related to democratic institutions, electoral systems, etc. Of
course, these issues are not easy, they are also problems in many
mature democracies. But as long as there is a mutual commitment and
willingness to resolve the existing difficulties, I am confident that
the issues related to the development of democratic institutions will
not be a major obstacle.

[Correspondent] We know that you have visited Armenia after the 1988
earthquake. Could you tell us more about this experience?

[Semneby] That was really one of the most defining moments in my
life. I spent a week in Leninakan [Gyumri] immediately after the
earthquake. I was working at the embassy of Sweden in the USSR and came
to Leninakan two days after the earthquake together with the Swedish
rescue team. We were searching through the ruins after the survivors.

It was a heartbreaking experience, but at the same time I felt huge
respect for the dignity and the resilience of the people who were so
severely affected by the earthquake. I am very much looking forward
to go back to this area and see what the situation there is now.