NSC Secretary: Baku, Ankara’s policy violates European integration principles

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan and Turkey’s policy aiming to oust Armenia from international projects, violates European integration’s principles of peace and cooperation, Armenian National Security Council (NSC) Secretary said.

As Artur Baghdasaryan stressed during the meeting with the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Philippe Lefort, “Azerbaijan and Turkey ousted Armenia from a number of regional energy and communication projects.”

According to NSC Secretary, Azerbaijan’s military rhetoric proves the country’s non- constructive approach to Karabakh settlement, while Armenia always supported a peaceful resolution of the issue.

The EU envoy, in turn, characterized a peaceful settlement as the only solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Discussion of bilateral cooperation was on meeting agenda, with Lefort briefing Baghdasaryan on some aspects of EU envoy mandate extension.

The Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Raul de Luzenberger accompanied Lefort on his visit.

On September 4, Lefort arrived in South Caucasus. Visits to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia were on ambassador’s agenda. During his stay in Yerevan, ambassador Lefort met the President of the Republic of Armenia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defense, the Secretary of the National Security Council, the Speaker of Parliament and the Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.

Philippe Lefort was appointed as EUSR for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia by Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in late August. Later came reports on Lefort extending the mandate. It encompasses contributing to the peaceful resolution of conflicts in line with international law norms and implementation of agreements in coordination with the UN, OSCE and Minsk Group.

The EUSR’s mandate also envisages fostering ties with governments, parliaments and other key political entities, juridical authorities and civil communities, encouraging the countries of the region to collaborate on issues of mutual concern, combating terrorism, illegal trafficking and organized crime.

Philippe Lefort was French ambassador to Georgia (2004-2007) and deputy head of mission at the French embassy in Russia (2007-2010). Since 2010 he has been head of the Continental Europe Department at the French Foreign Ministry.