EU ENVOY WARNS OF CONSEQUENCES OVER NEW WAR FOR GARABAGH

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 6 2006

Baku, April 5, AssA-Irada
The European Union envoy on the South Caucasus has warned that
a possible resumption of hostilities to resolve the long-standing
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh could have
bitter ramifications, a statement that follows Azerbaijan’s threats
to resort to the use of force.

“By stating its intent to settle the conflict through military action,
Azerbaijan has chosen a dangerous path,” Peter Semneby told a news
conference during his visit to Yerevan.

Semneby said that with the stalling conflict settlement, Armenia
will be completely isolated and its economy will not develop. “Any
attempts to use force would bring about negative consequences for
the conflicting sides and the region as a whole.”

The EU representative said the Garabagh dispute should be settled only
in peace. “The parties to the conflict are at the end of negotiations
and I believe a relevant decision will be passed,” he added.

Semneby ruled out the use of the Kosovo option for the Garabagh
settlement that was proposed earlier. “Every conflict has its own
specifics and this model could not be applied to all frozen conflicts,”
he said. Semneby said that any given model that has been tested could
not be taken advantage of to resolve all disputes.

The EU envoy also said there are currently no plans to change the
format of the OSCE-mediated talks.

“The OSCE Minsk Group is working very well and the fact France is
involved in it as a co-chair means the EU’s interests are being
protected as well.”