Brussels based think-tank European Policy Centre (EPC) hosted a conference titled 'Nagorno-Karabakh and the role of the EU'.

http://www.news.az/articles/politics/80566

On June 17, 2013, the Regional Studies Center (RCS) participated in a special discussion focused on the issue of European Union engagement in the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.  RSC Director Richard Giragosian was invited to give a presentation at the European Policy Centre (EPC), a leading think tank in Brussels, and was joined by Zaur Shiriyev, from the Centre for Strategic Studies in Baku.  The speakers offered an Armenian and Azerbaijani perspective on the issue, with each speaker briefly outlining his view on EU engagement, based on two separate policy papers that each speaker prepared for the EPC (see attached).

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia poses a significant threat to the security of the South Caucasus and beyond, including related to energy and transport infrastructure. The EU, which has slowly upgraded its relations with the region over the past decade, still remains very much a peripheral player, seemingly content with supporting the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and financing a number of confidence and peace-building projects. However, with the EU being one of the most ‘neutral’ external powers involved in the region, and having made conflict resolution a priority of both its European Neighbourhood Policy and Eastern Partnership, there would seem to be scope for the EU to take on a greater role. In these two Policy Briefs, Zaur Shiriyev and Richard Giragosian offer an Azerbaijani and Armenian perspective on the role of the EU in the Nagorno-Karabakh, while also coming up with a number of concrete recommendations for further engagement.

http://www.epc.eu/pub_details.php?cat_id=3&pub_id=3587

Հայաստան-ԵՄ ասոցացման պայմանագիրը մի շարք ռազմավարական հնարավորություններ է ներկայացնում, որոնցից չօգտվելու շռայլություն Հայաստանն իրեն չի կարող թույլ տալ: Նման կարծիք Հայաստանի ինտեգրացիոն գործըթնացների վերաբերյալ այսօր կայացած քննարկման ժամանակ հայտարարեց քաղաքագետ Ռիչարդ Կիրակոսյանը:

http://www.tert.am/am/news/2013/06/13/richard-kirakosyan/

YEREVAN. – Signing of the Association Agreement between Armenia and the European Union (EU) will allow Armenia to make use of new strategic opportunities. 

Regional Studies Center Director, political analyst Richard Giragosian stated the aforesaid during a roundtable discussion on Thursday. He also pointed to four specific opportunities.

http://news.am/eng/news/157887.html