November 17, 2003

Raffi Hovannisian Addresses Berlin Conference On Caucasus, Meets International Leaders

Berlin, Germany—Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended and addressed an International Policy Dialogue on “The Southern Caucasus: Political Challenges and Development Perspectives” held here on November 12 and 13 under the auspices of the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Organized by Capacity Building International (InWEnt) of Germany, the conference brought together world leaders, international organization officials, and regional representatives. They focused during the two days on international contributions to conflict resolution and political transition processes in the Caucasus; regional contributions to conflict reduction and potential approaches to resolving the “frozen conflicts”; and policy development on Human Rights and Good Governance, on Energy, and on Trade, Economy, and Finance.

Representing the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS), Raffi Hovannisian’s intervention drew the connection between a country’s domestic demeanor, value system, and democratic track record with its public mandate to implement foreign policy positions and resolve conflicts.  Hovannisian delineated and analyzed the internal and Europe-related policy challenges for Armenia and the entire Caucasus.  He also set forth his juridical, political, and rights perspective on the Mountainous Karabagh conflict.

The conclave was addressed also by Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayet Guliev, and Georgian Foreign Minister Irakli Menagarishvili.

In the margins of the meeting, Hovannisian held separate talks with Erich Stather, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; Jan Kubis, Secretary General of OSCE; Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, EU Special Representative for the Caucasus; Marc Scheuer, Director of Political Advice and Cooperation of the Council of Europe; Ambassador Medhi Safari, Special Envoy of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Vladimir Goudev, Director General of the CIS Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry; and Jorg Tauss, Spokesman of the Social Democratic Party in the German Bundestag.

Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian, and supported by the Lincy Foundation and a global network of contributors, ACNIS serves as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy challenges facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet world. It also aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic thinking and a wider understanding of the new global environment. In 2003, the Center focuses primarily on public outreach, civic education, and applied research on critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the nation.

For further information on the Center and its activities, call (37410) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; e-mail root@acnis.am or info@acnis.am