[ 16:25 – 07.05.2008 ] DMITRIJ RUPEL: "EUROPEAN UNION SPEAKS AGAINST
MILITARY SETTLEMENT OF ANY CONFLICT"

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. High mark was given to the level of
the cooperation of Armenia and the European Union at the February 6
joint press conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia,
Dimitrij Rupel, the Mininster for Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, which is
currently presiding over the European Union, and Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations and
European Neighbourhood. They gave positive marks to the results of the
European Union Troika visit to Armenia.

In the words of Vardan Oskanian, the most important peculiarity of the
Troika visit to Armenia is that the visit is being paid in the period,
when the Action Plan has already started to be implemented within the
frameworks of the New European Neighbourhood Policy. In addition to
this, as the Minister observed, the Troika visit is being paid in a
period, which is of great significance for Armenia, that is to say, on
the eve of the presidential elections.

Vardan Oskanian once again affirmed the devotion of Armenia to the
issues concerning the development and deepening of relations with the
European Union.

In his words, at present, the most important tasks for the European
Union in the region of the Southern Caucasus are the issues concerning
the regulation of the Karabakh conflict and the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

Dimitrij Rupel stated that issues concerning the process of the
implementation of the Action Plan, including issues connected with the
development of economy and the deepening of democratic processes, were
discussed during the meeting with Vardan Oskanian: "The main message of
the European Union to the countries of the Southern Caucasus is that
our friends should be friends between themselves as well," Rupel
stated. In his words, the European Union is ready to cooperate with
regard to the issue on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia
and Turkey.

As regards the continuous military rhetoric, which comes from Baku,
Benita Ferrero-Waldner pointed out the inadmissibility of the
settlement of the conflict through a military way. In her words, the
political will of the parties is necessary for the regulation of the
Karabakh problem. She also expressed hope that during the pre-electoral
campaign in Armenia and Azerbaijan no one will make such statements,
which can do much harm to the peaceful regulation of the conflict. In
his turn, Dimitrij Rupel mentioned that the European Union speaks
against the military settlement of any conflict: "We would offer to put
an end to such a rhetoric."

At the same time, in response to the question concerning the necessity
of the joining of the Karabakh side in the negotiations, Dimitrij Rupel
said: "The involvement of one more side in the negotiation process will
not help the settlement of the issue."