EU WILL AIM TO SUPPORT PEACE EFFORTS SETTLING NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Bernama Malaysian News Agency
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April 29 2010
Malaysia

BAKU, April 29 (Bernama) — The European Union (EU) will aim to
step up its support to ongoing peace efforts towards settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Police Stefan Fule, Azerbaijan news agency AzerTaC
reported Thursday.

The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place
from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small ethnic enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the mostly
ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia
against the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Addressing the European Parliament on the results of his recent trips
to South Caucasus countries and Ukraine, Fule said: "Throughout my
trip to the South Caucasus, I felt the presence of regional tension
and the effects of armed conflict which have so dramatically impacted
on people’s lives.

"I appreciated in particular the possibilities to speak to internally
displaced persons in Georgia and in Azerbaijan".

He added that the conflicts have haunted the South Caucasus for a
long time, and some actions needed to be taken urgently to stop it,
so that South Caucasus can stable, secure and prosperous again.

Touching upon the Association Agreements with the South Caucasus
countries FUle said the negotiating directives for them will be
"presented for formal adoption at the Foreign Affairs Council on
May 10.

This will pave the way for the EU side to prepare for the launch
of negotiations.

"These agreements will allow for close political association between
each of the partners in the South Caucasus and the EU, building on
common values and shared principles".

He said closely linked to the Association Agreements, the EU`s offer to
establish deep and comprehensive free trade areas is also an immensely
important opportunity for those South Caucasus countries that have
fulfilled the preconditions.

Such agreements of economic integration will provide access to the
EU market of 500 million consumers and will help increasing trade
flows and investments, Fule added.