New EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus plans to visit the region in the upcoming weeks

ArmInfo.Promoting a peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region, including the crisis  in Georgia and the process of normalizing relations between Armenia  and Azerbaijan, will be among my priorities as EU Special  Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia. This  was stated by the newly appointed EU Special Representative for the  South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Magdalena Grono, in an  interview with JAMnews. She took office on November 1, 2024.

Grono named another priority as supporting stability and cooperation  in the region more broadly, by encouraging and facilitating  cross-border and trans-boundary cooperation where feasible.  "To this  end, I will continue to engage with the main interested actors to  encourage and to support further cooperation between Armenia,  Azerbaijan and Georgia, and, as appropriate, their neighboring  countries.  This is a broad outline. More concretely, I intend to  build on my own and my predecessors' significant experience in the  framework of both the  Geneva International Discussions and  EU  efforts to address conflicts in Georgia as well as to contribute to  the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process," she explained. 

When asked where the "Brussels Process" is and to assess the current  stage of normalization, Grono said that as an EU, they were very  pleased to note the various positive trends and decisions made on the  bilateral track by both Yerevan and Baku over the past year.  According to her, these include steps taken in December 2023 on the  release of prisoners, an agreement on COP29, and progress in the  delimitation and demarcation process, which ultimately led to the  first ever practical delimitation and demarcation of a section of the  bilateral border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in April-May 2024.   "In addition to this, we saw the entry into force of the Regulation  on the Joint Activities of both countries' respective  border  commissions on 1 November 2024.  I am also reassured by the current  stability on the ground. Despite sporadic accusations of ceasefire  violations over recent months, the overall situation along the  Armenia-Azerbaijan border has remained relatively calm," the EU  official stressed.

"When it comes to the 'Brussels Process,'" Grono continued, " for me  personally it was an honor to be closely involved in the process led  by President of the European Council President Charles Michel in our  offices in Brussels." In her assessment, these meetings - six in  total between December 2021 and July 2023 - were most useful in  creating the space needed for the leaders to address their concerns  to the other side, to listen to each other, and seek solutions  together.

"In addition to other assistance efforts in 2020-2023, it created a  structure and the basis for their to build on, also bilaterally  without external intermediaries.  "It allowed for the launching of  confidence-building measures, such as border  delimitation/demarcation, the mutual recognition of territorial  integrity and sovereignty, connectivity and the resumption of  communication links, work on their future peace treaty, and a variety  of humanitarian deliverables," the EU Special Representative said.

At the same time, she acknowledged that over the past few years there  were regrettably also a number of tragic moments and repeated  violence. "As the EU, we hope that the two sides will now intensify  their efforts to systematically address the consequences of conflict,  in order to turn the page of enmity once and for all.  After decades  of conflict-related suffering, the societies experienced, we hope   the leadership of these two countries will demonstrate the strong  political will needed to make peace lasting and irreversible, for all  populations concerned.

When I meet them, I intend to convey the EU's appreciation for those  courageous and forward-looking decisions they have taken to date. I  will also strongly encourage them to build on their previous  progress, to continue to look for mutually acceptable solutions for  all, and to refrain from any use of force in the settlement of  disputes," Grono said.  The EU official then took the opportunity to  emphasize the contribution of the EU civilian monitoring Mission in  Armenia, which follows developments on the Armenian side of the  bilateral border with Azerbaijan.

"The EU has been very clear here in dispelling the disinformation  targeting its activities. Rather than creating 'new dividing lines',  as claimed by some actors, our objective is to contribute to regional  stability and to strengthen the overall peace process," she stressed.   Regarding when she will start official consultations in the region,  Grono said she is planning to start her first visits to the region in  the upcoming weeks in her new capacity.