Pat Cox: civil society can help solve conflict by promoting values of peaceful coexistence

PanARMENIAN.Net - Eastern Partnership program is a welcome initiative, symbolizing the interest of EaP member states in European integration, according to the President of the European Movement International.

“The prospect to join the EU is not an immediate one. We need to have a space to have deeper and better relations which would be more than zero, but less than a whole integration,” Pat Cox told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Dwelling on Yerevan- hosted conference on the civil society’s role for further European integration, Mr. Cox noted promotion of humanitarian values as the main priority of civil society as an autonomous entity.

Commenting on the role of civil society in conflict resolution, Ms. Cox stated, “we don’t have a specific role, a diplomatic capacity or a parallel diplomacy. What we do have, is the values of peaceful coexistence and the values of resolving conflict.”

“Our role is really modest, but still very real. Azerbaijani representatives are attending today’s conference, and our ability to promote interaction on the level of civil society is already a good sign. To work together on one project is not an easy task, but I hope the process to develop,” he said, urging all players to take effort in promoting Karabakh conflict settlement.