South Caucasus: Closer EU Links Delayed By Azerbaijan's Tussle With Cyprus, Persisting Conflicts

20 February 2006
Radio Free Europe
By Ahto Lobjakas


BRUSSELS, 20 February 2006 (RFE/RL) -- The neighborhood policy action plans and the "frozen conflicts" in the South Caucasus were top of commissioner Ferrero-Waldner's agenda.

Yet officials in Brussels have said after the visit that there was no tangible progress to report on either issue.
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EU sources have told RFE/RL that talks are being held up largely because of a long-running feud involving Azerbaijan and Cyprus. Cyprus, an EU member state, wants Azerbaijan to rule out any future commercial flights to Northern Cyprus -- which it contests with Turkey.
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Officials say it is unlikely Georgia and Armenia will see their action plans approved before the issue is resolved to Cyprus's satisfaction.
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Ferrero-Waldner's visit took place after the inconclusive talks at Rambouillet in France between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents on 10-11 February. The talks mostly focused on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. The EU has said it stands ready to assist the rehabilitation of Karabakh, but not before a peace settlement is in place.
[...]
One EU official, who asked not to be named, said the EU is increasingly concerned over the possibility that Georgia might resort to force in the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Last week, the Georgian Parliament adopted a declaration asking for the departure of the Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia.
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Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.