TIME RUNNING OUT FOR KARABAKH STATUS QUO, SAYS EU ENVOY
Asbarez
-karabakh-status-quo-says-eu-envoy/
Feb 23rd, 2010
BAKU -The European Union’s Special Representative to the South Caucasus
arrived in Azerbaijan Tuesday where he said time was running out for
Armenia and Azerbaijan to hammer out a final peace accord on Karabakh.
Speaking to reporters at a press briefing in Baku, Peter Semneby said
it was possible to hope for progress in reaching a peaceful settlement
between Armenian and Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
"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,"
During his three-day official visit, Semneby will hold meetings
both with Azeri officials and representatives of non-governmental
organizations and political circles in Azerbaijan.
Semneby said he would also be discussing with Azerbaijan’s leaders the
possibility of starting negotiations on energy agreements, regional
security, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Armenia-Turkey relations.
"The current visit will be an important factor in the development
of relations between Azerbaijan and EU," Semneby said. "Partly the
purpose of my visit is to make contacts and prepare visits of a number
of new senior officials of the European Union."