European Parliament Urges for Closer Ties with South Caucasus

The European Parliament adopted on 26 February a report drafted by its rapporteur, Swedish parliamentarian Per Gahrton, calling for closer ties between the EU and the three South Caucasus states, RFE/RL reported on February 27.

The Gahrton report specifically advocates an increase in EU aid to the South Caucasus and calls on the EU to solicit the cooperation of Russia and Turkey in resolving regional conflicts.

Last month European Union Foreign Ministers met in Brussels and agreed on the need for early action by the international community in support of South Caucasus countries.

The ministerial council’s draft conclusions on Georgia propose “to bring forward a recommendation on the relationship of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to the European Neighborhood Policy.”

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana’s office would recommend by the end of June whether to include the three countries to the EU’s “Wider Europe” policy.