Communiqués

Final Communiqué of the 2^nd Plenary Assembly of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative

Sofia, 1-3 July 2004      

The 2^nd Plenary Session of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative was held in Sofia 1-3 July 2004. Parliamentary delegations from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia participated in the meeting.

The Opening Session was addressed by representatives of the government and parliament of Bulgaria, the Netherlands Presidency of the European Union and the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE. The Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, His Excellency Mr Ognyan Gerdjikov addressed the closing session.

The Plenary Assembly reviewed the political situation in the South Caucasus Region and in the wider world. The meeting reviewed the work of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative in the period since the 1^st Plenary Session held in Scotland in December 2003. It heard the report of the work of the outgoing Georgian presidency and approved the programme of work of the incoming Armenian Presidency. It also took important decisions on organisational issues related to the future work of SCPI.

(Alongside the Plenary Assembly session, a Round Table meeting was held on the theme “The South Caucasus in a changing Europe” with the participation of experts from the three South Caucasus countries and other European states. The three delegations regret that some experts in their presentations expressed certain views that are not consonant with the spirit of SCPI and do not contribute to further process of confidence building.)

The International Situation

The Participants of the 2^nd Plenary Assembly of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative reviewed developments in the international arena since their last meeting. The region of the South Caucasus is at an important crossroads between continents and civilisations and is therefore influenced by both positive and negative developments in the wider world.

The Participants welcomed the expansion of the European Union from 15 to 25 member states. This event leads to breaking the artificial division of Europe that had been created by the Cold War. The Participants declared that they look forward to the time in the near future when their countries will also join the European Union. The Participants warmly greeted the decision of the European Union to include the three South Caucasus countries in their ‘New Neighbours Policy’. They called on their respective governments to take all necessary steps to ensure that this mechanism will be used efficiently and to the maximum benefit of the three countries.

The Participants welcomed Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Resolution of 24^th June 2004 No. 1386 (2004) on Iraq. They noted that members of the armed forces of the three countries are engaged in humanitarian work with the international coalition in Iraq and considered this as an important indication of the willingness of the governments of the South Caucasus states to play a full role as members of the international community, despite the limitations on their resources. They wished the people of Iraq well in the difficult task of the reconstruction of their country. 

The Participants in the 2^nd Plenary Assembly of SCPI condemned all acts of terrorism and declared their support for the global war on terrorism that has the support of the wider international community.

Building Democracy and Peace in the South Caucasus

The Participants in the 2^nd Plenary Assembly of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative declared their full adherence to the process of democratic state-building in the region of the South Caucasus. The parliamentarians present declared that whilst they are aware of the problems that remain in the building of democratic institutions and the adherence to a culture of democracy at all levels, they believe that the commitment to this process in the region is absolute. They recognise the need for pluralism in the political process at all levels; the need to ensure full respect for human rights and basic democratic principles; and the need for strict adherence to the democratic principles embodied in the various commitments to which their countries have signed up as members of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the OSCE.

The Participants agreed that building peace in the region of the South Caucasus is the most urgent challenge facing their three countries in the immediate future, and that any wish to move forward in other areas, particularly further integration in European institutions, is going to be impossible before this is achieved. They called for continued efforts to resolve the conflicts connected with Nagorny Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They called for increased efforts on the part of international mediators and facilitators in this direction, as well as increased commitment on the part of all political forces in all three countries in support of this process. The Participants condemned all irresponsible actions that undermine the process of confidence building between conflicting sides. They understand the important role that the parliaments of the three countries need to play to ensure that the process of peace building is given a fair chance of success.

The Development of the work of the South Caucasus Parliamentary Initiative

The meeting heard a report of the work done by the Georgian Presidency of SCPI from January to June 2004. It approved the work done in the last six months and thanked the Georgian Parliament and its delegation for their efforts.

The meeting approved a programme of work for the incoming Armenian presidency for the period July-December 2004. The programme will give priority to supporting the process of European integration for the states of the South Caucasus.

The Plenary Assembly adopted a new set of bye laws for SCPI. It agreed on the creation of the post of Executive Secretary of SCPI as from 1^st July 2005.

The Plenary Assembly expressed its thanks to the Secretariat of SCPI and to the office of the Special Advisor for their work and effort.

At the end of the Plenary Assembly meeting the Georgian parliament handed over the Presidency of SCPI to the Armenian Parliament for the period July-December 2004.

The Participants thanked the Government, Parliament and People of Bulgaria for the warmth and generosity of their welcome and hospitality and for creating the right conditions for their meeting. The Participants thanked the Governments of the United Kingdom and Switzerland for their continued support to the SCPI process and the British organisation LINKS for its continued invaluable efforts as facilitator of the process.