An EU Strategy for the South Caucasus

Conflicts in the Caucasus region are hindering the improvement of living standards in the region, and hampering the EU's economic and security interests.

While the EU still lacks a fully-fledged strategy for the region, it is involved in the South Caucasus via different missions. Following the outbreak of war in Georgia, the EU intervened to reach a ceasefire agreement, and this resulted in the emergence of the EU Monitoring Mission.

The Eastern Partnership is a political strategy for the entire Eastern Neighbourhood region that was launched by the EU Member States at the Council summit in May 2009.

An EU strategy for the SouthCaucasus could be a next step towards defining the EU's role in the region.

The Greens succeeded in making Parliament call upon the countries in the region to step up regional cooperation, demanding that Armenia and Azerbaijan stop their hostile rhetoric towards each other and demilitarise the conflict region.

Most other groups in Parliament carried this amendment.

Furthermore, we convinced a majority in Parliament to demand that EU High Representative Catherine Ashton plays an active role in the Geneva talks, negotiations designed to resolve the conflicts in the region.

We also received support for our demand to better fund the Regional Environmental Centre for the Caucasus.