EU envoy hails Georgia's role as bridge between Armenia, Azerbaijan
Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia, met Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
In an interview with GPB’s First Channel main news program Moambe, Klaar recalled the PM’s involvement and desire to act as a facilitator “in bringing together Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
The EU special envoy praised and expressed support for Georgia in “acting as a bridge” for peace and stability in the region, the First Channel reported.
“It is very important that the three countries of the South Caucasus are able to work together and promote peace. And here, Georgia’s role, acting like a bridge between Armenia and Azerbaijan, is undoubtedly very important,” he said.
“We have discussed with the Prime Minister the previous occasions, and I hope, in the future, to have even more cooperation and collaboration between the European Union and Georgia and between EU and all three Caucasus countries.”
According to Toivo Klaar, proposing Tbilisi as the venue for high-level meetings, as with Armenian and Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministers, was significant and could be used for other formats in the future.
“Tbilisi has acted as a place to bring together Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and it can do so again. Both for the leaders and different formats. It is an easy option, also as a venue where both representatives from Armenia and Azerbaijan can easily travel to. It doesn’t take long to travel here. And in the end, it is logical for the three countries that occupy the common space, like the South Caucasus, to try to find common areas of cooperation, irrespective of any conflict,” Klaar said.
“It is simply logical that there would be a collaboration between such close neighbours in questions of transport, environment, energy, and so far. I see a lot of potential both now and for the future,” he added.