Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Commission Vice-President, will visit South Caucasus this week to reaffirm the strong commitment of the European Union to the region.

"The main aim of my visit is to show the commitment of the European Union to the South Caucasus," said Catherine Ashton.

"Over the last year - in the context of the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership - we have engaged in a process of significant strengthening of our relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, including through negotiations of Association Agreements. We are very keen to see the three countries progress with the necessary reforms, with European values as the guiding light. We also want to see steps forward in the resolution of conflicts," she stressed.