EU apt to establish stronger institutional relations with partners in South Caucasus

PanARMENIAN.Net - Unresolved conflicts hamper establishment of stability in South Caucasus, positive changes and institutional reformation, EU Envoy for South Caucasus Peter Semneby said in Yerevan Monday during an international conference titled Enlarged Black Sea Region: Prospects of International and Regional Security.



"Despite economic progress, there are problems that proceed from economically unfavorable conditions and are directly tied to security issues," he said



"The hardships are conditioned by existence of closed borders between Russia and Georgia as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. The region will be eyed as unit only when reforms in human rights and freedom of speech are carried out in all states," he said.



In this view Mr Semneby noted that the EU proceeded to establishment of stronger institutional relations with partners in the region and development of cooperation with Russia and Turkey.



"These are our initial but long-term steps," he noted, Novosti Armenia reports.