JAVIER SOLANA: ACTION PLAN SIGNED WITHIN THE EUROPEAN NEW NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY FAVORABLE FOR SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES

Azeri Press Agency
Nov 15 2006

"Action Plan signed within the European New Neighborhood Policy will
be favorable for South Caucasian countries," EU Secretary General
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana said in his
interview to the Azadliq radio, APA reports.

He said that the aim of the programme is to bring Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Georgia closer to EU.

"This will be realized by European New Neighborhood Policy. Analogous
technology was applied in the EU member states," he said. The Secretary
General noted that the programme is not only political, but covers
different spheres of economy. He said that the Action Plan was agreed
with EU and South Caucasian countries.

"The governments not the EU should rule the countries. The people will
receive EU aid if the governments honor the programme. Otherwise the
partnership with the governments will be limited. As it is a bilateral
agreement the benefit should be mutual. Democracy and the supremacy
of the law are very important for the EU. Good management includes not
only good economic governing, but also democracy and the protection of
rights. This is a part of the programme," Mr. Solana said. He noted
that though a programme was prepared for South Caucasian countries,
the documents envisage stimulating of regional partnership.
From: Baghdasarian