It's time for new approaches both towards the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and EU's engagement in the process, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie stated a farewell press conference in Yerevan. He said peace and stability in the region along with the development of integration between the South Caucasian states are a priority line for the European Union. In the diplomat's opinion, the Armenia-EU cooperation within the European Neighborhood Policy develops well. "The EU is ready to assist the program member-states. The matter does not concern the EU membership. Armenia is also successfully cooperating within the NATO IPAP," he said. For his part Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian noted that joining any European structure is the own business of each sovereign state. "Armenia is maximally cooperating with NATO. If Georgia thinks its security fully depends on joining NATO, it's Georgia's private affair," the RA FM said.

To note, Heikki Talvitie has been the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus since 2003. "First I visited Armenia in 1988, after the Spitak earthquake. Then we brought ambulances from Finland. In 1995-96 I occupied the post of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair," he reminded.