EU Strategy for the South Caucasus is a long term strategy which directed to create secure political, economical and social environment next to eastern borders of EU. This is an objective of European Neighbourhood Policy, and forthcoming Eastern Partnership Program.
Contents
Overlook
EU Foreign Affairs Council held on 8 December 2009 the EU reaffirmed its intention to promote stability, cooperation, prosperity and good governance throughout the South Caucasus, including through technical assistance programs.
Strategy
Considering that South Caucasus region is threatened with Abkhaziya/Osetiya and Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts, EU policy towards the region focused primarely on solution of this problem. These conflicts create a serious obstacles toward peace, security and cooperation in the region.
European Parliament resolution of 20 May 2010 on the need for an EU strategy for the South Caucasus (2009/2216(INI)) focused on problems after Georgian-Russian war on occupation by Russian and Armenian forces subsequently Georgian and Azerbaijani lands.
EU approach toward solution of Georgian conflict
EU reiterates its unconditional support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the internationally recognised borders of Georgia, and calls on Russia to respect them; encourages the Georgian authorities to make further efforts to achieve a settlement of Georgia's internal conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
EU is seriously concerned about the use of ethnic cleansing as a prelude to the Russian recognition of South Ossetian and Abkhazian statehood; notes with satisfaction that the international community remains united in its rejection of the unilateral declaration of independence; calls on Russia to honour its commitment in the Ceasefire Agreement to withdraw its troops to the positions held before the outbreak of the August 2008 war and to cease its blocking of EUMM access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia; EU stresses the importance of protecting the safety and rights of the ethnic Georgians still living within the breakaway regions, promoting respect for displaced persons’ right of return under safe and dignified conditions, achieving a reduction in the Iron Curtain character of the de facto borders and obtaining possibilities for the EU and other international actors to assist people within the two regions; underlines the need for more clearly identified short- and medium-term objectives in this respect.
EU approach toward solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Currently EU has a very weak stand in issue of Nagorno Karabakh. Regarding that France as a co-head of Minsk Group are very ineffective, EU would like to take place of France in Minsk group which in charge for solution of the conflict.
In its Resolution on Strategy for the South Caucasus, EU calls on the parties to intensify their peace talk efforts for the purpose of a settlement in the coming months, to show a more constructive attitude and to abandon preferences to perpetuate the status quo created by force and with no international legitimacy, creating in this way instability and prolonging the suffering of the war-affected populations; condemns the idea of a military solution and the heavy consequences of military force already used, and calls on both parties to avoid any further breaches of the 1994 ceasefire.
EU is seriously concerned that hundreds of thousands of refugees and IDPs who fled their homes during or in connection with the Nagorno-Karabakh war remain displaced and denied their rights, including the right to return, property rights and the right to personal security; calls on all parties to unambiguously and unconditionally recognise these rights, the need for their prompt realisation and for a prompt solution to this problem that respects the principles of international law; demands, in this regard, the withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan, accompanied by deployment of international forces to be organised with respect of the UN Charter in order to provide the necessary security guarantees in a period of transition, which will ensure the security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and allow the displaced persons to return to their homes and further conflicts caused by homelessness to be prevented.
EU Activities to Support Democratisation, Good Governance and the Rule of Law
Support to good governance, the rule of law and democratisation has been constantly identified as a core priority in major policy documents in all three countries. In the Country Reports prepared by the European Commission in 2005, political, rule of law and human rights issues were highlighted as areas where reforms should markedly be strengthened and where cooperation with the EU should develop for all three Caucasus countries. They were subsequently identified as core priorities in the Action Plans signed with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2006. EU policy stresses that democratisation, good governance, political pluralism, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms are of paramount importance for determining the future relations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia with the EU; calls for renewed efforts by the countries to implement in full the ENP Action Plans and calls on the Commission to continue to assist them in such efforts; is concerned by the limited progress made by the countries in the South Caucasus region in this area, as shown in the Commission 2009 progress reports and reflected in Council of Europe recommendations; welcomes the initiation of the human rights dialogues between the EU and Georgia and Armenia and invites Azerbaijan and the EU to finalise discussions on an equivalent cooperation structure.