Brussels, 30/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The third session of the EU Cooperation Councils with Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan ended successfully on Tuesday in Luxembourg, said Council President Annemie Neyts and the three Foreign Ministers, Vartan Oskanian (Armenia), Irakli Menagarishvili (Georgia) and Vilayat Guliyev (Azerbaijan). For the first time, a joint communique was adopted confirming the EU's determination to play a more active political role in the region, mainly by supporting efforts to prevent and settle conflicts. It places emphasis on the common determination to participate in the international fight against terrorism. The future Spanish Presidency attended the meeting.
Speaking before the press, Ms Neyts pointed out that the EU and Georgia had expressed their common concerns about the recent violation of airspace (ED.: by the Russian authorities). The Georgian Minister welcomed this convergence of opinion on the "unacceptable events of yesterday and the day before that constitute very serious violation of territorial integrity". The Armenian minister stressed that the talks had covered the government's plans to improve the climate for investment, nuclear energy, Community programmes (food security, poverty reduction …) considered very effective, and on the next IT conference in Armenia. Minister Azeri welcomed the dialogue opened on coming elections, on the legal status of the Caspian Sea (that his country proposes to divide into national sectors), on the conflict around Nagorny-Karabakh. In answer to questions on the risks of seeing Islamic extremism develop on his territory, he affirmed he did not share such fears, as the principle of a secular State has always been very strong, even if we are Muslim.