TARJA HALONEN: EU WILL SPARE NO EFFORT FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Achievement of peace within the shortest terms is an important factor for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Certainly, each party to conflict has its claims. However a compromise meeting the EU criteria should be achieved. We support the negotiations held within the OSCE Minsk Group framework. As a state assuming presidency in the EU we will do everything within the limits of the possible to promote the peaceful negotiations and provide security of the Azerbaijani and Armenian citizens. We believe that the New Neighborhood Policy will prove fruitful for the South Caucasian states", Finnish President Tarja Halonen stated in Baku during the joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. She said she has been to the region with the OSCE Minsk Group delegation and is informed about the conflict. "In my opinion all the conflicting parties will derive profit from the peaceful process. The European Union is interested in the peaceful settlement of the conflict. We support Azerbaijan's cooperation with the OSCE and EU," Mrs. Halonen noted adding that the EU will spare no effort for Karabakh conflict settlement. "The New Neighborhood Policy is very important both for Azerbaijan and the EU. I welcome your joining to the policy and hope that the negotiations in this direction will start at the nearest possible date. Democracy in the region is developing but there is still a great deal of work to be done. Democracy is a process. I welcome the accession of Azerbaijan to the Council of Europe. It is obvious that your country is aspired to meet the commitments undertaken to the CoE", she said. When commenting on the forthcoming parliamentary election in Azerbaijan the Finnish President said, "I believe the authorities and the opposition will act within the criteria set by the CoE. Let us wait till November. At the moment I call upon the President and government to hold a democratic election, since the democratic development of Azerbaijan greatly depends on the upcoming election."