COMMISSIONER FERRERO-WALDNER TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON JANUARY 19

armradio.am
16.01.2009 16:18

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood
Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner will be traveling to Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan from 19-22 January. During her visit the
Commissioner will discuss proposals to substantially upgrade the
level of political engagement with the EU’s Eastern neighbours in
a new Eastern Partnership (EaP) . Implementation of each country’s
European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Action will also be discussed. In
Georgia the Commissioner will discuss implementation of the up to
â~B¬500 million pledged to re-launch the economy and resettle IDPs
following last summer’s conflict. In Armenia and Azerbaijan she will
urge renewed efforts to find a settlement for Nagorny Karabakh.

Prior to her visit, Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: "Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan are important countries for the EU, and we want to
do more to help them advance in the reform process that will bring
them greater prosperity and stability. The new Eastern Partnership
offers the prospect of a closer political and economic ties, with very
concrete help to unlock the advantages available through the ENP –
for example in the fields of trade, mobility and now, more importantly
than ever, new measures to increase these partners’ energy security
and our own. A very speci al relationship with the EU is on offer to
countries which choose to pursue reforms, particularly in improving
democracy, human rights and rule of law."

She added: "The EU has been the key player in ending the conflict in
Georgia, and continues to strive for progress in the Geneva process,
while making the biggest overall contribution to financial assistance
to get Georgia back to normal. Equally, the EU believes that the region
will never attain its full potential as long the frozen conflict in
Nagorny Karabakh remains unresolved, and I will want to hear from
political leaders their views on the prospects for progress."

The trip will provide a timely opportunity to take stock of recent
developments in the South Caucasus as well as political and economic
reforms in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Other topics that will be
raised with interlocutors will include energy security; the situation
of human rights and fundamental freedoms; economic consequences
of the Georgia conflict on the region and the state of play of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as well as other topics of regional concern.

In Armenia the Commissioner will welcome a new initiative to deploy
EU experts inside the Armenian administration at a high level to
support reform efforts. These reforms are essential to help Armenia
draw the advantages of a closer relationship with Europe. The EU
focuses in particular on reform of the judiciary and freedom of t he
media. Naturally the EU’s support for the OSCE Minsk Group efforts
to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as well as improvements in
Armenian-Turkish relations will also figure high on the agenda.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner is expected to meet the President of Armenia,
Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign minister Edward Nalbandian.

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress