"YOU MUST NOT TRY TO CHANGE THE WORLD"

The first visit by Diego Pinto, general secretary of the International European Movement (IEM), to Azerbaijan and the statements he made in Baku provoked a harsh and negative reaction in neighbouring Armenia.  And this is natural because D. Pinto was yet another European politician to reaffirm Europe's support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

Viktor Yengibaryan, president of the European Movement of Armenia, filed a complaint with the IEM board.  The Armenian press was then literally flooded with reports that the "Azerbaijan media deliberately distorted the words of the general secretary, having thereby disseminated outright misinformation and presented the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh only in the context of territorial integrity."

It is notable, however, that D. Pinto himself not only did not publish a refutation of the Azerbaijani media reports, but even confirmed his words in an interview with this Region Plus correspondent.  Furthermore, he noted that the IEM desires close cooperation with Azerbaijan, and the fact that his first visit, after his election to the post of general secretary of the European organization, was to Azerbaijan was no accident.

- Good day, Mr Pinto.  What was the reason for your visit to Azerbaijan in mid-August?

- The purpose of our mission was to study the socio-political climate in Azerbaijan and to conduct discussions within the framework of the Eastern Partnership programme which was signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan.  We cooperate closely with every country which is integrating into Europe and come up with our proposals in this area.  At the meetings, we discussed proposals for Azerbaijan.  The development of the countries with which we cooperate and the situation concerning democratic values and human rights in these countries are important for us.

- And what are your impressions?  What is your assessment of the work on the integration of Azerbaijan into the European community?

- Here, not only the government's activities, but the activities of society at large are important.  One of the main directions of IEM operations is its work with both governments and societies in the countries.  I would even say that the people must demonstrate more initiative than the government does.  The IEM is an organization whose work is very time consuming if results are to be achieved, and we achieve something periodically.  As for Azerbaijan, I can say that the analysis which we conducted here shows that the country should stay on its present course of development and continue its efforts in this direction.

- Not so much time has passed since the signing of the Eastern Partnership programme.  What has been accomplished since 7 May 2009?

- First, I can tell you that this programme opens new opportunities.  Together with the countries which have joined the initiative, Eastern Partnership is a new programme for Europe, too.  The EU is already doing some work under the programme and we, for our part, exchange our experience with partner countries.  You know that Europe has universally agreed standards.  Acceptance or non-acceptance of these standards is the sovereign right of every country.  In the future, if Azerbaijan or any other country which has joined Eastern Partnership decides to join the EU, it will be their decision.

- Azerbaijan and Armenia are at war.  And the situation in Georgia is very unstable.  How interesting is such an unquiet region for the EU?

- Yes, the situation in your region is not very stable.  And yet, at the same time, it is stable in some sense.  The conflicts in this region are referred to as "frozen."  But last year's war between Russia and Georgia shows that these conflicts are easily "defrosted."  In my view, we must find an answer to the question of "what has to be done today to resolve these conflicts?", rather than to wait for "what will happen in the future?"  The EU supports the principle of a peaceful resolution of conflicts and spares no effort to support stability in the region.  The countries and peoples who inhabit the region must know that the region is already divided and Europe is divided, too.  We must not attempt to change the world.  It is of the same colour for all of us.

- What is your position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict specifically?

- From the very beginning of the Karabakh conflict, the EU has made its position clear.  It said that "Azerbaijan's territorial integrity must be respected."  And the EU continues periodically to confirm its support for the inviolability of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.  The question might arise:  "What can the EU do to regulate this conflict?"  I can say that the EU values highly the intense negotiations which are under way with mediation by the OSCE Minsk Group, and will support the decision reached as a result of the talks and which is expected to have consideration for political reality.