Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 23 / Trend ,
R.Novruzov/ East Partnership is not an invitation for
Azerbaijan to join the EU, but only an offer to cooperate, said EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby.
In May 2008, Poland and Switzerland initiated to cooperate with six former
Soviet countries - Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Belarus, and to establish the East Partnership program.
The program is designed to bridge the gap between Azerbaijan, the other five
countries and Europe, Semneby said to journalists in Baku on Dec. 23.
According to the EU Special Representative, the East Partnership program is
aimed at avoiding conflicts in the region. "The European Commission will do its
utmost to resolve conflicts in the South Caucasus region, including the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict. But the European Commission does not rival the OSCE Minsk Group,
which is directly involved in settling of the conflict," said Semneby.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.
During his one day visit to Baku Semneby met today with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister and negotiated with representatives of the country's political parties.
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