Epress.am News from Armenia
In the coming weeks, Brussels will send a new EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, one of whose main missions will be to facilitate resolution of conflicts in the region, including Nagorno-Karabakh, said Miroslav Lajčák, Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans in the EU’s External Action Service, in an exclusive interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian service.
Lajčák stressed that the EU would like to increase its role in the conflict resolution process, but not at the expense of the OSCE Minsk Group.
“The EU supports the Minsk Group and its efforts to find a political solution to the conflict. Meanwhile, there is an increasing conviction among EU member states that Brussels must also play an active and visible political role.
“The Karabakh conflict is the only conflict in our neighborhood where the EU is not directly involved in its resolution. We cannot build relations with our eastern neighbors and pretend that this issue does not exist,” he said.
According to the European diplomat, the EU is negotiating with the OSCE Minsk Group on what concrete steps are to be taken, and when and how Brussels can take such steps toward conflict settlement. “However, the answer does not depend on discussions with the Minsk Group, but on the talks,” he said.
“A political settlement is now on the table that will open a new field of activity for many people, including for the EU. Brussels, for example, can do a lot, bring together the parties to promote dialogue between the societies and introduce European standards.
“However, these steps will depend on the dynamics of the negotiation process: If there’s progress, a larger field for EU participation will open, but if there’s no progress, the European family will have fewer opportunities to do anything,” he said.