ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

Special Representative of Europarliament offers to replace France in
OSCE MG by European Union

ArmInfo. Special Representative of the European Parliament on South
Caucasus Isler Beguin offers to replace France in OSCE Minsk Group by
the European Union, he said during hearings on South Caucasus in the
Europarliament’s Committee on Foreign Relations, the "Trend" reports.

"The European Union should participate more closely in settlement of
conflicts in the South Caucasus. This concerns Nagorno Karabakh
conflict as well", Beguin said. "I am French, however, I think that
the mandate of France in Minsk Group should be passed to the European
Union", Beguin said. He thinks that EU, thus, will be able to
regulate the conflict at a high level. He also paid attention to the
fact that the Turkish-Armenian border is closed. According to him,
this is a factor which deepens the problem. Special Representative of
the European Parliament on Nagorno Karabakh conflict Lydia Paulfer
expressed concern over two issues. "Armenia remained aside of
Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan oil pipeline and other regional projects. This
circumstance may lead to the country’s instability in a long-term
perspective. Moreover, extension of Azerbaijan’s military budget will
tense the situation in the region", L. Paulfer said. As deputy
Chairman of the Europarliament on South Caucasus, Slovakian
parliamentarian Duka-Zolyomi said, each conflict is specific and
requires an individual approach. He thinks that Russia, in many
cases, plays a role of a power which destabilizes the situation in
the region. It was also noted that Kosovo cannot become a precedent
for other conflicts.

Deputy of the Europarliament from German socialists Vural Oger blamed
Armenia for occupation of Nagorno Karabakh and its adjacent regions.
He demanded of EU to take an unambiguous position. "Azerbaijan is
important for Europe in the energy policy and this is limited not
only to availability of energy resources", Oger said.