PETER SEMNEBY: EUROPEAN IDENTITY CAN UNITE THE COUNTRIES OF THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 2 2006

EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby declare din
Yerevan today that "the European identity can unite the countries of
the South Caucasus."

Speaking at the "South Caucasus 2006: new trends of development,
threats and risks" international forum, Peter Semneby said that
the interest of the international community towards the region has
considerably increased recently.

According to the EU Special Envoy, the three countrie sof the South
Caucasus are fighting for their national identity, but the European
Union suggests them a "European identity."

Peter Semneby noted that after Romania’s and Bukgaria’s accession to
he European Union EU will get immediately involved in the Black-Sea
region and will be able to play a greater role in stabilization of
the South Caucasus. RA Deputy Foreign Minsiter Arman Kirakosyan said
in his speech that the three countries of the South Caucasus should
work jointly and develop economic ties. In his words, this is the
key for the region’s prosperity.

The Deputy Foreign Minister confessed that there are still a number of
factors that hinder the regional cooperation – the problems between
Armenia and Turkey, Russia and Georgia, as well as the unsettled
conflicts. "However, economic cooperation can settle many of these
questions or at least create conditions for reduction of the tension,"
Arman Kirakosyan said.