EU SPECIAL ENVOY: IT IS TIME TO ESTABLISH RELATIONS BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Arminfo
2007-02-21 11:16:00

Peter Semneby, the EU Special Envoy to South Caucasus, said during
the today press conference being held in Baku that it is time to
establish relations between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh and that
EU is presently doing its best to create bonds of trust between the
both parties. According to him, this issue was discussed with the
Azerbaijan Government during his visit to Baku.

Touching some statements concerning the fact that initiatives
within other international organizations may impede the peaceful
negotiations to resolute the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which were
sounded by the OSCE Co-Chairmen, Mr. Semneby said that he did not
consider that the activity of EU was intended against the work of
the OSCE Minsk Group. "EU backs the activity of the Minsk Group,"
he said. The EU Special Representative said that there had been
moments in the peaceful negotiations over the Karabakh conflict that
created optimism, however this optimism failed. According Mr. Semneby,
these are first off all: the last meeting between the Azerbaijan and
Armenian Presidents held in Minsk and that one between The Foreign
Ministers of the two conflict parties held in Moscow. "No advance have
been occurred since the above-mentioned negotiations, and I hope that
time will come when the issue is resolved and EU will certainly make
its contribution to this issue," he said.

The EU Special Envoy also expressed his attitude toward the Russian
position and weight in the resolution of the conflict. Russia plays a
very important role in South Caucasus. He expressed a hope that Russia
actions to be taken will coincide with its statements and purposes.