Spanish FM calls on Yerevan and Baku not to lose positive dynamics

PanARMENIAN.Net - Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country holds the 6-month rotating EU presidency, addressed the OSCE Permanent Council Tuesday on his country's priorities for the European Union.



Moratinos also mentioned the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict in his remarks, praising the OSCE Minsk Group's efforts to mediate a resolution of the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.



He said the "frequent meetings" between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan "had created a positive dynamic that should not be wasted."



"The efforts we are making to strengthen security and stability in Europe are worth nothing if they do not contribute to the resolution of real problems on the ground," he added.



The world's biggest regional organization dealing with security issues, OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) unites 56 countries situated in North America, Europe and Central Asia.



Its member state are: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Malta¸ Moldova, Monaco Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Roumania, San-Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United States, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vatican.



Partner countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Marocco, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.



Armenia became an OSCE member state on January 30, 1992.



The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 member states,  located primarily in Europe. Committed to regional integration, the EU was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the European Communities. With over 500 million citizens.



On 1 December 2009 the Lisbon Treaty came into force after a protracted and controversial birth. This reformed many aspects of the EU but in particular created a permanent President of the European Council, the first of which is Herman van Rompuy, and a strengthened High Representative, Catherine Ashton.