EU SPECIAL ENVOY: STATUS QUO IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT CAN NOT LAST FOREVER

Trend
Feb 23 2010
Azerbaijan

During his visit to Azerbaijan, the European Union Special
Representative for South Caucasus Peter Semneby will discuss the
pressing problems of EU-Azerbaijan, in particular Azerbaijan’s
rapprochement with the European Union, the possibility of starting
negotiations on the association agreement, the energy security, energy
supply to Europe, regional security, as well as Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict solution and normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations,
Semneby told reporters today upon his arrival in Baku.

"Partly the purpose of my visit is to make contacts and prepare visits
of a number of new senior officials of the European Union," he said.

During his three-day visit, Semneby will hold meetings both
with officials of the country and with the representatives of
non-governmental organizations and political circles in Azerbaijan.

"The current visit will be an important factor in the development of
relations between Azerbaijan and EU," he said.

Speaking about the progress in the peaceful settlement of
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Semneby said that it
is possible to hope for it, "but time is running out." "The situation
in the region is changing, the status quo can not last forever. I hope
very much that the momentum which was achieved last year will bring
to concrete results. In any case, we will contribute in this regard,"
said EU Special Representative.

On Tuesday the EU Council of Foreign Ministers extended the mandates
of EU special representatives for some post-Soviet countries for the
period from March 1 to August 31, 2010. The authorization of the EU
Special Representative for South Caucasus Peter Semneby was extended
as well.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the United
States – are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress