EU TROIKA DELEGATION TO VISIT ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA ON 16-20 JULY
Azerbaijan Business Center
July 17 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The European Union’s troika delegation has
started a trip to the South Caucasus.
The Baku-based EU resident office reports that minister for foreign
affairs Carl Bildt of Sweden is to lead the Troika’s visit to Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia on 16-20 July.
"The trip will also encompass a field visit to the EU Monitoring
Mission (EUMM) in Georgia. The question of extending the EUMM mandate
is on the agenda of the EU foreign ministers’ meeting at the end of
July. The Southern Caucasus is an area of strategic importance to the
EU. The Eastern Partnership means new opportunities to contribute to
stability and reform in the three countries," it was reported.
In Azerbaijan the Troika will meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and civil society. Matters
of common interest including energy, Nagorno Garabagh conflict and
EU-Azerbaijan relations will be discussed.
Accompanying Mr. Bildt on the Troika will be European Commission
representatives Karel Kovanda (Deputy Director-General and Political
Director) and John Kjaer (Head of Unit), Peter Semneby (EU Special
Representative) and Paolo Barroso Simoes (Council Secretariat). Spain’s
Ambassador on Special Mission to Central Asia, Santiago Chamorro,
will represent the next country to hold the EU Presidency.