Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb. 23, 2008

Peter Semneby: We hope Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to meet
until the upcoming presidential elections

[ 23 Feb 2008 12:48 ]

`It had not been planned to follow elections outside Armenia in the
presidential elections’.

Strasbourg. Fuad Gulubayli-APA. Peter Semneby, the EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus, has held several meetings at
the Council of Europe.
He told APA Bureau that he met with Secretary General of the Council
of Europe, Human Rights Commissioner, Ago Group members, and Chairman
of the Venice Commission to have discussion on the results of
Azerbaijan visit, the next visit of AGO Group members to Azerbaijan,
and the human rights commission report on Azerbaijan.
He added that the European Union will hold certain projects in the
run-up to presidential elections in Azerbaijan, and will closely
watch pre-election situation and other matters related to the
electoral legislation.
Peter Semneby said he was not aware of Azerbaijan’s Foreign
Ministry’s protest note on the fact that international organizations
monitored elections in Azerbaijan’s occupied lands during Armenian
presidential elections.
`I doubt any observers went to Karabakh. What I can say is that there
had been no plan to follow elections outside Armenia,’ he added.
As to the Kosovo precedent for Nagorno Karabakh and other conflicts
in the former USSR area, Peter Semneby said each conflict is unique
in itself.
`Conflicts have more differences than similarities. This is
applicable to the conflicts in South Caucasus too. Kosovo and
Karabakh conflicts are completely different. The Nagorno Karabakh
conflict is a more complicated one, I would say. However, it is clear
that this conflict should be solved through peace negotiations. It is
our position. Armenia has recently elected its new president. We hope
this will intensify peace negotiations and will give impetus to
settlement of the conflict. Continuation of negotiations during
elections in the two countries is very important. I would like a
meeting between Armenian new president and Azerbaijani president to
take place. However, this is in the interest of the parties, the
sooner the better. We hope the meeting will take place until
Azerbaijan’s presidential elections,’ he added.
Semneby also noted that the European Commission will discuss a report
on the implementation of the Action Plan on Azerbaijan in April.