Thursday, July 7 2022 15:05

ArmInfo.If we look at the changing landscape of international relations and of how transport corridors are shaped, the South Caucasus and Azerbaijan in  particular, I see playing an ever-increasing role in the so-called  Middle Corridor, as the Middle Corridor gains an importance. EU  Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar said this,  expressing hope that the parties will be able to conclude a new  agreement in the near future, Trend reports.

"First of all, I believe that President of the European Council  Charles Michel personally will continue to be very heavily engaged  and I would hope and indeed expect that in the future we will see  further meetings between the leaders. Because this format indeed has  been of great importance. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev,  Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Michel have  been able to discuss and take forward a number of important issues.  And in that sense that is certainly one format that the EU will  continue to be focusing on as the key format to bring solutions to  various issues. At the same time, we will continue to also engage on  other levels. I personally, together with my team and also colleagues  from President Michel's office, we will certainly engage with other  interlocutors both in Baku and in Yerevan to address all the  important issues that are there on the table.  We're talking about  the peace agreement, we're talking about the reopening of  communications, we're talking about the border. There are many key  issues where I believe that the EU has and will continue to deeply  engaged with the aim of helping to bring about solutions," he said.   Klaar noted that the EU already has given a helping hand in opening  of transportation and communication links in the South Caucasus, but  certainly, will continue to be heavily engaged on this issue.  "I  would point out that at the last leaders' meeting on May 22 this was  an important part of the discussions and indeed the leaders reached  certain important understandings that have now been build up on when  the deputy prime ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia have met  over the past month to address this issue. But this is of course, a  key issue for Azerbaijan, it is also extremely important for the EU,  and it is naturally also very much important for Armenia. And  personally, I am confident that it is possible to find a solution and  to move forward on this very important issue in the near future,  because indeed, this is something that is of natural interest to all  involved and the EU will continue to pay great attention to this  area," the EU Special Representative added.

Klaar noted that EU will also continue to support Azerbaijan in  demining.

"This is of course an immense task and Azerbaijan has already  invested huge amounts in this and it will still take a lot of work to  clean up the territories and frankly, the EU is the largest  international donor to support this task. We recognize that for  people to be able to return this key issue, the landmines issue, has  to be ultimately not only addressed, but also resolved. This will  take a lot of financial resources, a lot of human resources,  machinery. As I said, EU is already the largest donor in this field  and we will continue to support Azerbaijan in all aspects to speed up  this process and to ensure that it will be possible as soon as  possible to really clean up the areas and to allow people to return,"  he said.

Klaar went on to add that the EU and Azerbaijan have expanding  relationship.

"I am hopeful that we can have our new agreement in the near future.  But if we look at the changing landscape of international relations  and of how transport corridors are shaped, the South Caucasus and  Azerbaijan in particular, I see playing an ever-increasing role in  the so-called Middle Corridor, as the Middle Corridor gains an  importance. There of course, as I said already earlier, when I talked  the reopening of transport routes, I believe that is also of key  interest to the European Union, because, again, we're talking about  East-West trade, where Azerbaijan has a key role to play and where I  see that our relationship between the European Union and Azerbaijan  will only increase in the coming years. And of course, we have our  energy relationship, but more importantly, I believe that building on  the personal relationship between President Aliyev and President  Michel, I see that there is a great potential in further developing  all aspects of our bilateral relations," he said.

Klaar believes that if there is a comprehensive settlement between  Armenia and Azerbaijan, which will be the reopening of transport  infrastructure and communications that will certainly bring in more  investors, who will see, in the changing circumstances the increasing  importance of the South Caucasus for international transit and trade.

"And not only that, but I see that in the future, as we can have more  cooperation between the three South Caucasus countries in different  fields, whether it is cooperation in energy, or whether it is  cooperation in water resource management, or even cooperation in such  issues as promoting tourism together, I see there being a net benefit  to all three South Caucasus countries in joint peaceful development  of the region. So, I believe that the path that we are on right now  calls great promise for Armenia and Azerbaijan, but for the entire  region and then also for the EU, because all three countries are  important neighbors of ours and we, certainly, wish all the best to  our neighbors," EU Special Representative concluded.

On May 22, another trilateral meeting with the participation of  Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan and head of the European Council Charles Michel was held in  Brussels. Following the talks, Michel said that the first meeting of  the border commissions will be held in the near future, during which  issues related to the delimitation of the border between Armenia and  Azerbaijan will be considered (held on May 24 - ed. note).

In a statement by the head of the European Council following a  meeting with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on May 22, on the  issue of transport communications, it is noted that the leaders  agreed on the need to start unblocking transport communications.  "They agreed on the principles governing transit between western  Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan and between different parts of Armenia  through Azerbaijan, as well as international transport through the  communication infrastructure of both countries. In particular, they  agreed on the principles of border management, security, land fees,  as well as customs rules in the context of international  transportation. In the coming days, the vice-premiers will continue  this work," Michel said.

At the same time, Charles Michel's statement does not say a word  about the status and future of Nagorno- Karabakh. Moreover, in his  statement, the head of the European Council, instead of the generally  recognized term Nagorno-Karabakh, used the Azerbaijani term  "Karabakh" and the wording "Armenian ethnic population of Karabakh."  In addition, his statement does not mention any trilateral agreements  at the level of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, or  other generally accepted principles of settlement.