Foreign Affairs MEPs back closer EU – South Caucasus ties and encourage reforms

A delegation of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, led by its Chair David McAllister (EPP, DE), visited Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia on 22-26 May.

The MEPs met with the authorities, opposition and civil society in the three countries to assess relations with the EU, including new Agreements, to encourage reforms, to fight against corruption and defend Human Rights and fundamental freedoms. The Members encouraged the EU’s partners to solve the protracted conflicts in the region in the framework of the existing mediation formats.

„This was an intense and very productive mission during which we reaffirmed our strong interparliamentary ties with the countries of the South Caucasus. At the same time, we passed a very clear message: the European Parliament supports the deepening of relations with Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, to increase trade and sectorial cooperation, but we are equally as attentive to our common values – such as democracy, the rule of law, good governance, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms” said Mr. McAllister after the visit.

MEPs met the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. In all three countries, they also met the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Speakers or Vice Speakers of Parliament, the Chairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Members from the ruling parties and from the opposition, civil society representatives and human rights activists, as well as representatives of international organisations. In addition, they visited a settlement for IDPs and refugees in Azerbaijan, the administrative line with South Ossetia in Georgia and, in Armenia, the Genocide Memorial and an EU funded project supporting vocational training. Read more