The European Union should press for concrete benchmarks on torture, freedom of expression and other key human rights issues on Monday when it holds ministerial-level meetings with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, Human Rights Watch said today. The European Union is holding these annual meetings in Brussels under the framework of its Partnership and Cooperation Agreements with the three countries. Under its European Neighborhood Policy, the European Union is currently negotiating “action plans” with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia that will set concrete benchmarks for progress in a range of areas, including human rights. Closer economic, social and cultural ties with the European Union will depend on whether countries fulfill the benchmarks, giving the European Union significant leverage on human rights issues in the countries of the south Caucasus, Human Rights Watch said. “This meeting gives the European Union a unique opportunity to press Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia for concrete progress on human rights,” said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “EU governments should not miss this chance to encourage tangible improvements on human rights in these countries.” “EU cooperation with the South Caucasus countries needs to include a public acknowledgment of ongoing human rights problems,” said Cartner. “Without admitting that human rights violations exist in these countries, the European Union cannot expect to address them in a meaningful way.”
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