Peter Semneby: Priority of My Work to Engage As Far As Possible with Conflict Resolution
"I see an enhanced role for the EU in conflict resolution in the South Caucasus," European Union's new special representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby stated in an interview with Thomas de Waal, the Caucasus Project Coordinator and Editor at the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Mr. Semneby has suggested that the EU could in future lead a peacekeeping mission if a solution to the Nagorno Karabakh dispute is found. "I want to use his mandate to work on the region's unresolved conflicts," he said.
"It's no surprise that the main priority of my work is to engage as far as possible with conflict resolution," he said.
Semneby emphasized that the European Union has no formal role in the detailed negotiations over Abkhazia - where the United Nations plays a mediating role - and in South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh, where that role is played by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE.
However, the idea of an international peacekeeping force is known to be under discussion in the current Karabakh talks, and should there be a breakthrough, an international body will be asked to lead it. This is where the EU could step in.
"We will be expected to make a major contribution when a solution is found, and we are looking into the possibilities we have, both in terms of post-conflict rehabilitation and also - if the parties should so desire - in terms of contributing peacekeepers. And possibly even leading a peacekeeping operation," said Semneby. "I should mention that this is very hypothetical at this stage. This is only one of several options, but it's one that is being considered."
A recent report by the International Crisis Group entitled "Conflict Resolution in the South Caucasus: The EU's Role" was scathing about the low profile the European Union has adopted on conflict resolution in the Caucasus until now.
"[The EU] does not participate directly in negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia or South Ossetia," said the report, published in March. "In and around Nagorno Karabakh, it has done little for conflict resolution. It has rarely raised the South Caucasus conflicts in its high-level discussions with partners and has employed few sanctions or incentives to advance peace."
A subtle change in language in the mandate assigned to Semneby, compared with that of his predecessor Heikki Talvitie, means the EU special representative is no longer asked to "assist the resolution of conflicts" but to "contribute to the resolution of conflicts".
Semneby said this linguistic change was small but important, calling it "a political signal that the conflicts are very high on the agenda".
"It's no surprise that the main priority of my work is to engage as far as possible with conflict resolution," he said.
Semneby emphasized that the European Union has no formal role in the detailed negotiations over Abkhazia - where the United Nations plays a mediating role - and in South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh, where that role is played by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE.
However, the idea of an international peacekeeping force is known to be under discussion in the current Karabakh talks, and should there be a breakthrough, an international body will be asked to lead it. This is where the EU could step in.
"We will be expected to make a major contribution when a solution is found, and we are looking into the possibilities we have, both in terms of post-conflict rehabilitation and also - if the parties should so desire - in terms of contributing peacekeepers. And possibly even leading a peacekeeping operation," said Semneby. "I should mention that this is very hypothetical at this stage. This is only one of several options, but it's one that is being considered."
A recent report by the International Crisis Group entitled "Conflict Resolution in the South Caucasus: The EU's Role" was scathing about the low profile the European Union has adopted on conflict resolution in the Caucasus until now.
"[The EU] does not participate directly in negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia or South Ossetia," said the report, published in March. "In and around Nagorno Karabakh, it has done little for conflict resolution. It has rarely raised the South Caucasus conflicts in its high-level discussions with partners and has employed few sanctions or incentives to advance peace."
A subtle change in language in the mandate assigned to Semneby, compared with that of his predecessor Heikki Talvitie, means the EU special representative is no longer asked to "assist the resolution of conflicts" but to "contribute to the resolution of conflicts".
Semneby said this linguistic change was small but important, calling it "a political signal that the conflicts are very high on the agenda".
