EU COUNCIL WELCOMES SIGNING OF TURKEY-ARMENIA PROTOCOL

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 27 2009

The tenth meeting of the EU-Armenia Cooperation Council took place
on October 26, and a paper detailing the conclusion of the meeting
was released on the same day.

Edward Nalbandyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, chaired
the meeting. At the gathering, the EU delegation was led by Carl
Bildt, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, and the Commission
was presented by Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External
Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy. Diego López Garrido,
State Secretary for European Affairs, was there to present the incoming
Spanish Presidency.

The main topics discussed at the meeting were EU-Armenia relations
and the EU-Armenia European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan. The
other important issues discussed were rule of law, human rights and
freedoms and the capability of the EU to support Armenian democratic
institutions.

"The Cooperation Council welcomed the signature by Armenia and Turkey
of the two protocols relating to the establishment of diplomatic
relations and the development of bilateral relations between the two
countries, including the opening of the border. The Cooperation Council
underlined that the full normalisation of bilateral relations between
Armenia and Turkey would be an important contribution to security,
stability and cooperation throughout this crucial region.

The EU will continue to offer its political and technical support to
this process," the paper says.

The Cooperation Council also pointed out the importance of the
intensified dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan in terms of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The paper also mentions that before the meeting of the Cooperation
Council, a joint ministerial working breakfast was held and that the EU
and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were organized to "discuss Eastern
Partnership and prospects for deeper cooperation between the EU and
the three South Caucasian countries, as well as Conflict Resolution."

Yilmaz KAPLAN (JTW)