DORA BAKOYANNIS: ARMENIA PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN HELPING TO PROMOTE SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS AND THE WHOLE OSCE AREA

ArmInfo
2009-07-01 12:48:00

ArmInfo. Armenia plays a critical role in helping to promote security
and stability in the South Caucasus and the whole OSCE area. In
this context, I welcome the efforts of the Armenian government to
normalize bilateral relations with Turkey, the statement of Foreign
Minister of Greece, presiding in OSCE, Dora Bakoyannis, disseminated
on the evesays.

"My visit to Armenia as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office comes at a time
of formidable challenges and great opportunities for our common
Organization.

Just this past weekend the foreign ministers of the OSCE, including my
counterpart Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, met on the initiative
of Greece on the island of Corfu to address the present and future
of European security.

This informal meeting was an important opportunity for us to deepen our
dialogue on our common concerns, and craft more effective responses
to the security challenges of 21st century Europe. We must continue
to build on this momentum.

Protracted conflicts continue to cast a shadow over our region,
a fact of which you are all too aware. But here too we have seen
progress. Before they came to Corfu Minister Nalbandyan and Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyrov and the Minsk Group Co-Chairs met
in Paris. This meeting follows five meetings between President Serzh
Sargsyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev just this year.

I am encouraged by the latest developments in the negotiation process,
and the constructive discussions that have taken place. There is
a positive momentum in the discussions, which is vital to build
upon. I fully support the mediation efforts of the Minsk Group
Co-Chairs, as well as the confidence-building work of my Personal
Representative Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. But incidents on the
ground remain a concern, and I urge both sides to fully implement the
ceasefire agreement and to withdraw snipers from the line of contact,
as proposed by the Co-Chairs.

I am also encouraged by the high level of co-operation between
the OSCE Office in Yerevan and Armenia in a range of activities,
including its long-standing cooperation with the Armenian police,
measures to mitigate the impact of the financial crisis, and supporting
the office of the Human Rights Defender.

It is encouraging that the Parliament has initiated reform of election
legislation, which remains a priority. The OSCE and its Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights stand ready to support Armenia
in further improving election procedures. The OSCE and Armenia should
also continue to work together to support freedom of the media and
freedom of peaceful assembly. Open dialogue, a robust civil society
and a free press are critical to the democratic process, and represent
key commitments that we as OSCE participating States have signed up to.

As was clear from our discussions in Corfu, we have made progress
towards building a "Europe whole and free and at peace" but much
work remains to be done, and new security challenges will test our
commitment to indivisible security. I look forward to continuing
the dialogue we began so fruitfully in Corfu on this visit", the
statement says.