PITER SEMNEBY: EUROPEAN UNION IS INTERESTED IN QUICK SETTLEMENT OF ALL
CONFLICS OF SOUTH CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The European Union’s
intentions and initiatives connected with the South Caucasus are
valuable. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian stated about this at
the Aptil 6 meeting with Piter Semneby, the newly appointed Special
Representative of the European Union to South Caucasus. He mentioned
that though the EU representatives and the OSCE Minsk Group present
themselves in the affair of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict in different formats, but, finally, all the efforts are
directed to the same goal, a peaceful and quick settlement of the
conflict. Andranik Margarian said that Armenia is anxious by martial
statements of Azerbaijan, cases of breaking the cease-fire became
friquent at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The head of the RA
Government also mentioned that the Armenian side would like to see an
EU delegation acting by itself in Yerevan. Expressing satisfaction on
the occasion of the sucessful and productive process of working out
the Actions Plan of Armenia within the framework of the European
Neighborhood Policy, the head of the Armenian Government expressed
hope that adoption of the Actions Plan will not be very late after the
successful final of the third stage of the negotiations scheduled for
May. Piter Semneby mentioned that though this is his first visit to
Armenia in the status of the EU Special Representative, he intends to
visit the RA more friquently from now on, and it’s too pleasant for
him that he is appointed on this post within such a period of time
when the relations of the South Caucasus and the EU have got a new
qualitative character. He emphasized that the EU is interested in
quick settlement of all the conflicts of South Caucasus, and his
mandate’s change is provided just by it. Piter Semneby informed that
he’ll visit Armenia in the nearest future as well, within the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen’s visit. Emphasizing
that he’ll be actively involved both in process of the Karabakh
conflict settlement and ! in the process of strengthening the
supremacy of law, implementation of reforms of the judicial system,
the EU Special Representative asked the RA Prime Minister to present
his estimation concerning works being done in these directions.
Andranik Margarian mentioned that after the referendum of the RA
Constitutional amendments, work of implementation of the steps arising
of the Constitution in the above-mentioned directions is undertaken in
the country. Within the framework of the work, the RA Government has
already affirmed in the program of events of the current year the
instructions given to ministries, departments in those directions,
with correct fixing of terms. Mentioning that Armenia has fostered the
way of Eurointegration since declaring its independence, Andranik
Margarian said that active works are done in the direction of making
the legislation of the country corresponding to the legislation of the
European Union. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s
Information and Public Relations Department, the interlocuters touched
upon issues of holding future elections in the RA corresponding to
international standards, the RA-RF relations and cooperation, the
policy implemented by the RA in the sphere of energy and a number of
other issues.