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New parliamentary effort to create a stability pact in the Caucasus

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 12680 | 30 June 2011

Signatories:
Mr Andreas GROSS, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Karin ANDERSEN, Norway, UEL ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Mörður ÁRNASON, Iceland, SOC ; Ms Lise CHRISTOFFERSEN, Norway, SOC ; Mr Joseph FALZON, Malta, EPP/CD ; Mr Gvozden Srećko FLEGO, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Andres HERKEL, Estonia, EPP/CD ; Ms Cecilia KEAVENEY, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Pavol KUBOVIČ, Slovak Republic, EPP/CD ; Mr Theo MAISSEN, Switzerland, EPP/CD ; Ms Liliane MAURY PASQUIER, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Lilja MÓSESDÓTTIR, Iceland, UEL ; Mr Gebhard NEGELE, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD ; Ms Andreja RIHTER, Slovenia, SOC ; Mr René ROUQUET, France, SOC ; Ms Marlene RUPPRECHT, Germany, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Doris STUMP, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Valeriy SUDARENKOV, Russian Federation, SOC ; Mr Björn von SYDOW, Sweden, SOC ; Lord John E. TOMLINSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Latchezar TOSHEV, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Mr Piotr WACH, Poland, EPP/CD
Thesaurus

The situation in the Caucasus region has not improved notwithstanding the importance of strengthening democratic processes and promoting peaceful coexistence in Council of Europe member states from the region and despite continuous work by the Minsk group of the OSCE on the situation regarding Nagorno Karabakh.

Unfortunately, since Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 1525 (2006) on the establishment of a Stability Pact for the South Caucasus, not much has changed at the level of regional stabilisation.

On the contrary, the rhetoric between the two countries has hardened. There are mutual threats of war. An example of this is an article of 13 June 2011 in Az.com about Azerbaijan’s new military capacity.

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia are now parties of the neighbourhood of the European Union.

Recalling its long-standing concern for democratic stability and security in the South Caucasus region, the Assembly closely monitored the situation in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia and contributed in its particular areas of excellence – democracy, rule of law and human rights – to the democratic transformation of the region;

Without a peace agreement and co-operation between the countries in the region there is a great risk for the conflict to escalate. The economic and democratic development in mainly Armenia and Azerbaijan also risks coming to a halt.

The Assembly should therefore:

  • consider the necessity for the creation of a permanent dialogue and political, economic and cultural co-operation between the states from the Caucasus region;
  • invite Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to co-operate more actively with the Council of Europe and the European Union in order to achieve and strengthen the stability and democracy in the Caucasus region;
  • invite the parties and the civil society representatives of the countries concerned to discuss together this idea and to reach an agreement for the establishment of a stability pact for the Caucasus region;
  • actively support and assist the OSCE Minsk group in its effort to reach a lasting peace agreement.