YEREVAN, MAY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is stepping up its efforts in Europe to promote the recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic by the European Union and the normalization of relations. Alexis Govciyan, President of AGBU Europe Office, said at the May 24 press conference that their aim is to carry out efficient lobbying in EU bodies. In his words, all the other unrecognized republics in the region benefit from peacekeeping missions, are involved in various international projects, receive assistance, which reduces the tension and allows their residents to keep in touch with other countries. Yet, the same cannot be said about Karabakh, he said. According to A. Govciyan, the EU bodies are misinformed. "In this respect Azerbaijan is lobbying much more successfully than we," he noted, adding that everything should be done so that all EU bodies will recognize the country of Karabakh and its people. A. Govciyan said that Karabakh is the only regional country not to have been visited by the EU Special Representative to the South Caucasus Peter Semneby who called Karabakh a "blank spot" on the map of Europe. A. Govciyan stated that the AGBU's campaign in Europe will be aimed at urging the European Union to provide humanitarian and economic aid to Nagorno Karabakh. They will also appeal to the EU to allow its officials to travel to Karabakh. A. Govciyan informed those present that recently P. Semneby participated in a forum on the Karabakh problem in Paris. A delegation of Karabakh and the Azerbaijani ambassador were also present at that forum.

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