Thread by @Tom_deWaal

I'm at #Eap10. Some thoughts on conflicts
1. Release of joint statement on 10th anniversary of #EasternPartnership unfortunately blocked by Baku as no reference to “territorial integrity.” Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine would also have liked this but were prepared to live without it.

2. As ever, NK conflict is spoiler. Omit reference to “territorial integrity” and you offend Az, mention it, you offend Armenia. This has been going at least since 1996 OSCE Lisbon Summit. Old protracted conflict not only hurts locals, it's a poison seeping far beyond.

3. Nov 2017 EaP Joint Declaration included mention of “territorial integrity,” but was sweetened with carrot for Armenians of CEPA. New bilateral “strategic agreement” with Azerbaijan not yet complete. Baku evidently wants language on NK conflict in coming bilateral agreement.

4. EU advised not to go beyond support of OSCE #nkpeace mediation. Baseline is 2009 L'Acquila G8: "a reasonable compromise based on Helsinki Final Act principles of Non-Use of Force, Territorial Integrity and Equal Rights and Self-Determination of Peoples” osce.org/mg/51152

5. More broadly, EU should rediscover its agility in dealing with post-Soviet conflicts-not just NK, but #Abkhazia, S. Ossetia, #Transdniestria. Each is different, requires a different EU role. (Ukraine conflicts, where role of Moscow is fundamental are different again).

6. #Eap10 is moment to celebrate how EU bilateral relations with EaP countries deepened in last decade. But EU needs not to lose sight of wider geopolitical imperative of conflict resolution in Eastern neighbourhood. A decade ago this was a higher priority.

7. This means more than coordination with EaP governments, but talking to all sides, promoting people-to-people contacts, keeping wide-angle vision. EU tough love remains an essential component for resolving conflicts in neighbourhood--still the biggest issue for the region.