July 14, 2004 - 18:45 AMT
ANRI JAKOLEN: EU PROPOSES NEW WAY TO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT TO BE AVAILED
Not being endowed with a special mission for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement European Union proposes a new kind of assistance, which could help to resolve the problem, OSCE Minsk Group French co-chair Anri Jakolen told journalists in Stepanakert on completion of the meeting with Nagorno Karabakh President Arkadi Ghukasian. In his words, "Enlarged Europe: New Neighbors" program will offer certain conditions for the aspirant states. To note, this EU program includes Armenia and Azerbaijan as well. According to Jakolen, the states to participate in the program should meet EU standards one of which being the preservation of neighborly relations. The new EU initiative testifies of the interest in stability in the South Caucasus and it is worth being availed, the French diplomat said. At the same time he emphasized that the OSCE with its subordinate Minsk Group remains the only organization responsible for the Karabakh conflict settlement.