There is a tendency towards improving the role of the EU in the settlement of conflicts in the South Caucasus. The other platform for negotiations will be the EU institute uniting conflicting countries within the "eastern partnership" programme. The last meeting within the framework of this project was held in Brussels on the 13th of December. In early December Baku held an international forum on the security of the South Caucasus "Azerbaijan and Eastern Partnership: regional challenges and new opportunities". This forum stressed the importance of the EU in the mediation of regional conflicts.
The EU, represented by France, is a co-chair of the Minsk Group of the OSCE on the settlement of the territorial conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. However, the EU can play a more important role in the settlement of the conflict on its own. It's no secret that Armenian communities have great influence on the US and France. Unlike the community in Russia, Armenian communities in the USA and France play active political roles. That is why it is significant to divide the functions of the EU and the Minsk Group.
All countries of the South Caucasus are interested in integration with Europe. However, the instability of the region prevents this integration. This common aim could become a basis for dialogue between the parties of the conflict. In this context the EU could be an effective mediator for them.
