Azernews.Az

BAKU – The European Union is seeking to assist the OSCE Minsk Group’s mission of brokering a settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, the newly appointed EU special envoy for the South Caucasus was quoted by Novosti Armenii news agency as saying.

"The EU has experience and mechanisms on supporting and monitoring the negotiation process," Philippe Lefort told a news conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan in Yerevan on Wednesday. "We are stating our willingness to assist Armenia and Azerbaijan [in moving peace talks forward], because the EU considers both countries victims of this conflict."

Lefort, a French diplomat of more than 20 years' experience who has devoted large parts of his career to the Caucasus and Russia, also said he was pleased to undertake the post of EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, adding that the new appointment would allow him to pay frequent visits to the region.

According to him, the post of South Caucasus special envoy was retained within the EU after long-lasting discussions.

"We decided to keep the position and combine it with the responsibilities of Special Representative for the crisis in Georgia. This is a very significant post, as the EU attaches great importance to your region. The South Caucasus region has tremendous economic and cultural potential."

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton offered last year to abolish the position of the EU representative in several regions, including the South Caucasus and Moldova. Under the proposal, the position was to be combined with the post of the representative of the European External Action Service, but it was eventually retained.

Lefort was appointed the EU’s South Caucasus envoy in late August to succeed Peter Semneby, and will act in this capacity from September 2011 until July 2012. Lefort was on a visit to Azerbaijan on Sunday and Monday, the first one being paid within his new mandate.