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Javier Solana: â€œIt is important to maintain momentum in seeking a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflictâ€

21 April 2009 10:31 (UTC +04:00)

Solana stressed that the EU welcomes the Moscow declaration of 2 November 2008 by the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the Russian Federation. He said it was now important to build upon this new dynamic with concrete actions and determination. â€œA solution to the conflict would completely change the situation in the region, and open up many new opportunities for all sides, including for Armeniaâ€, said Solana. The EU High Representative said the crisis in Georgia has shown that unresolved conflicts can become volatile again even after many years. â€œIt has also shown how interdependent the countries of the South Caucasus are, and how much all suffer in case of crisisâ€.

Referring to Armenian-Turkish relations the EU High Representative noted: â€œWe strongly encourage both parties to continue this path and pursue constructive dialogue. There is now a momentum that should not be lost. We support all efforts in this regard. At the same time, it is important to maintain momentum in seeking a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We hope that negotiations could advance considerably during this yearâ€.