FORMATION OF CULTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES WILL STILL REQUIRE MUCH TIME, PETER SEMNEBY CONSIDERS
Noyan Tapan
Nov 19, 2008
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. It was found out as a result of
joint discussions of EU and Armenian leadership that the Armenian
side wonders how decisions are made in EU. Peter Semneby, EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus, said in his interview to
Radio Liberty commenting upon EU’s initiative to send advisers to
Armenia. "This group of parliamentarians will be a resouce for those
making a decision. They will be standing near the leaders to provide
information and to tell them how this or that decision would be made
in EU member-countries," P. Semneby said.
P. Semneby commented upon the statements of some Armenian, Azeri, and
Georgian experts that EU prefers stability in the three South Caucasian
countries to democracy and closes its eyes to elections held with
violations and riggings. "The opposite of stability is instability,
which no one wishes. We consider and are convinced that to achieve
stability in the respect of long-term prospect democratic institutions,
human rights, supremacy of law, and democratic culture should be
developed," P. Semneby said. And according to the EU representative,
it will take much time to achieve that. He reminded that the South
Caucasian independent countries have "a history of only 17 years."
Touching upon the investigation of the March 1 events, P. Semneby
said that the creation of a fact-finding group of experts is "evidence
of progress."
He welcomed opposition’s decision to take part in fact-finding
group’s work.