news.az, Azerbaijan
June 16 2011
Sweden, Georgian Foreign Ministers discuss Karabakh
Thu 16 June 2011 06:10 GMT | 2:10 Local Time
Carl Bildt, Grigol Vashadze Carl Bildt, Grigol Vashadze hold joint briefing.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt is holding
negotiations with Georgian authorities. Before the meeting with the
Foreign Minister of Georgia Grigol Vashadze, Carl Bildt went to the
Square of Heroes and laid wreaths on the memorial.
At the meeting with Mr. Vashadze, the sides discussed regional
security issues, relations with Russia and the internationally
mediated peace talks in Geneva.
Carl Bildt emphasized the significance of the Geneva negotiations,
saying it may not have specific effect, but the negotiations are
necessary for imposing better atmosphere between the Georgian and
Russia sides while discussing specific issues.
`I think that Geneva talks are important not that they are producing
dramatic progress, I did not really expect that, but it`s important to
have them ongoing, but because they can gradually contribute to better
atmosphere on specific issues between the sides,` Carl Bildt said.
Georgian Minister said Georgia had never expressed a desire to cease
Geneva negotiations.
`Any saying that we are going to halt any negotiations, the head of
our delegation in Geneva said that terrorist acts planned and
attempted at our territory, are endangering Geneva talks, but we never
said that we are going to stop these talks, we are not stopping them,`
Vashadze said.
After the meeting in the foreign ministry, the Swedish diplomat held
talks with Georgia`s prime minister.
According to Foreign Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt, Georgia is a
leader in the Caucasus region in terms of progress in the frameworks
of the “Eastern Partnership”. According to the “GHN”, this opinion
Bildt has announced today in Tbilisi after the meeting with his
Georgian counterpart Grigol Vashadze.
“Georgia is the country that has shown the best progress in the region
under the “Eastern Partnership”. I hope that other countries will
catch up with it; but although it should be noted that all countries
have different standards” – said Bildt.
The Swedish minister, speaking of the subject of negotiations between
Georgia and Russia on the WTO, has said that the accession of the
Russian Federation in the organization will be also useful for
Georgia.
We are on the threshold of the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said
Wednesday in Tbilisi at a joint briefing with his Georgian counterpart
Grigol Vashadze.
“We pay great attention to this conflict and hope that the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents will make a great progress in the upcoming
talks,” he said.
Bildt stressed that the issue was discussed during a meeting with
Vashadze, which lasted over an hour.
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