INTERVIEW WITH JAVIER SOLANA: TURKEY AND EU SHOULD CONTINUE CLOSE COOPERATION TO PROMOTE PEACE AND SECURITY

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 3 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend A.Gasimova/ Exclusive interview of
Trend with the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security
Policy of the European Union, Dr. Javier Solana

Question: What is your assessment of the results of the parliamentary
elections in Turkey? How could these elections and the decisive victory
by Rejeb Tayyip Erdogan, the leader of the party, contribute to the
relations between Turkey and the European Union?

Answer: The AK Party has achieved a remarkable electoral victory. The
results of this crucial election are a resounding vote of confidence
in the path of political and economic reform and ever-closer relations
with the European Union that the government has followed.

There are many areas in which Turkey and the European Union will have
to work closely together over the coming months and years. Making
sustained progress in Turkey’s accession negotiations is central
to this challenging agenda. I welcome the stated determination of
Prime Minister Erdogan to achieve Turkey’s European Union goals,
including the reforms needed to make that happen. Turkey and the
European Union should continue their close cooperation to promote
peace and security around the world, from the wider Middle East,
to the Balkans, the southern Caucasus, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Question: The Kosovo problem is still a focus of the world community.

In your opinion how would it be possible to resolve this situation?

Answer: First, let me say that it is regrettable that an agreement
could not be reached within the United Nations Security Council. I
think that the best way forward now is to give another chance for
negotiations. This is also what EU ministers agreed in their meeting
on 23 July. But I want to be clear on the fact that these negotiations
should not be open-ended. They should be time limited for more or less
120 days. I would therefore appeal to Belgrade and Pristina to engage
actively and constructively in this final round of negotiations. The
EU wants to move this process forward and find a lasting solution to
the Kosovo status. We are determined to remain united on this issue
in defence of European interests, notably the stability and prosperity
and European future of the Balkans.

Question: Could granting Kosovo independence become a precedent for
separatist regimes in different countries, including Nagorno-Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan? How could it be prevented?

Answer: The Kosovo issue is a special case that can not be compared
to any other region. There is the historical context of Yugoslavia’s
violent and non-consensual break-up, as well as the massive violence
and repression that took place in Kosovo in the period up to and
including 1999. There is also the unique situation of the extended
period of international administration under UN resolution 1244, where
Kosovo has basically been run by UNMIK since 1999. These specifics have
been acknowledged by the Contact Group, which also includes Russia.

Question: The EU representative in Azerbaijan has recently stated
his intention of simplifying the visa regime throughout the South
Caucasus countries, which are members of the European Neighbourhood
Policy. What are your plans in this respect, or other plans to further
cooperation between the EU member-countries and the region?

Answer: The European Neighbourhood Policy of the European Union sets
ambitious objectives based on mutual commitments of the EU and its
Member States and the countries of South Caucasus to common values,
including support for effective implementation of political, economic
and institutional reforms. The EU/Azerbaijan Action Plan aims,
among other issues, to establish a dialogue on matters related to
the movement of people including on readmission and on visa issues.

Progress on all these issues is underway.