PETER SEMNEBY: "EUROPEAN UNION HOPES IMPROVEMENT WILL BE MADE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT"

APA
May 19 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. Special representative of the European
Union for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby met with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov,
APA reports.

Peter Semneby told journalists that they had discussed the relations
between Azerbaijan and the European Union, particularly Eastern
Partnership declaration, South corridor agreement signed in Prague,
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Turkey’s role in the region,
visit of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Baku.

"Eastern Partnership declaration and South corridor agreement
signed on May 7-8 are very important documents, these documents
form splendid basis for future relations between Azerbaijan and the
European Union. Eastern Partnership offers new opportunities for
the participating countries in bilateral relations with the European
Union," he said.

Taking a stance on the simplification of visa regime and free trade
opportunities with the European Union envisaged in the Eastern
Partnership program, Semneby said any country wishing to establish
free trade relations with Europe should be the member of the World
Trade Organization.

"I hope Azerbaijan will soon become the member of this organization.

We hope the negotiations will be ended successfully". Peter Semneby
said the easing of visa regime was described in the Eastern Partnership
Program and it would be discussed soon.

The EU Representative said he hoped for progress in the negotiation
process over the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. "We support
the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and hope that the progress will
be achieved in the negotiation process. This is important phase for
the European Union. EU can contribute to this process. We will do
that as soon as possible. Our contribution will be in the capacity
of support to the Minsk Group, OSCE efforts. We will not do anything
independently. It is very important to coordinate the efforts of the
international community. We have more opportunities like the creation
of atmosphere of confidence. There is unused potential".

Semneby said normalization of the Turkish-Armenian relations and the
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict were two different processes,
which have an effect on each other. "It needs to provide their positive
effect on each other".