EU SHOULD ADDRESS "A SHARP STATEMENT" TO ARMENIA OVER KARABAKH CONFLICT, BAKU SAYS

AN.Net
11.06.2008

Official Baku believes that the European Union (EU) should address
"a sharp statement" to Armenia over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"It would be better for the EU to make open statements to the opposite
party in order to restore peace and stability in the region," Khazar
Ibrahim, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, said
when commenting on France’s chairmanship in the EU.

Azeri political experts believe that France’s chairmanship in the EU
will not accelerate peace talks and settlement of the conflict.

"Presently, the EU can not be actively be engaged in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement process as Russia do not provide a
possibility for it," said Vafa Guluzade, former adviser to the
Azerbaijani president on foreign policy.

"Neither France nor European Union have any opportunity to seriously
influence the settlement process. Besides, the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict has not been solved yet though the chairmen of OSCE and
Council of Europe, and EU representatives on conflict were changed
more than once. Therefore, France’s chairmanship in the EU and
co-chairmanship in the Minsk Group will not influence on settlement
talks," Guluzade said.

Another expert Hikmat Hajizade stated that the United States and Russia
should reach to an agreement to solve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"EU does not have any leverage on Russia. Therefore, EU chairmanship
of France will not influence the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. The problems of Russia should be solved first of all for the
settlement of the conflict," he said, Trend Azeri news agency reports.