The EU remains fully committed to facilitating dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia and to supporting efforts to strengthen peace and security in the South Caucasus, for the benefit of all people in the region, the European Union noted in its statement, APA reports.
The statement expressed concern over the recent situation in the region. It was noted that since 15 June, the corridor has been almost completely blocked, with the exception of sporadic medical evacuations.
The EU deplores that the activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the region have been heavily hampered and calls for their full and swift resumption, including transport of humanitarian supplies.
The EU has taken note of the readiness voiced by the Azerbaijani authorities to supply goods via the city of Aghdam. It was noted that the EU strongly believes the Lachin corridor must be unblocked.
The EU statement also highlighted the growing tension along the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
"The EU has been closely following the growing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia with shooting incidents reported almost on a daily basis. We call on all sides to avoid further incidents and recommit to dialogue.
In order to observe and report on the situation on the ground the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) is conducting patrols along the Armenian side of the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The objective of the mission is to contribute to conflict resolution and to build trust and confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan," reads the statement.
"The EU reiterates its calls for restraint and dialogue among all parties involved. Continuous efforts are necessary to rebuild confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in order to secure sustainable peace and stability in the region for the benefit of the local civilian population. Swift establishment of dialogue between Baku and representatives of Armenians living in the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast is crucial, in particular for the solution of the humanitarian crisis in the area, but also concerning rights and security of Karabakh Armenians and other issues.
At the last trilateral meeting on 15 July 2023, hosted by President Michel with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Prime Minister Pashinyan of Armenia, the leaders of the two countries reiterated their strong commitment to the peace process. They notably reconfirmed their full respect for the other country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and their unequivocal commitment to the 1991 Almaty Declaration as a political framework for border delimitation. The ultimate delimitation of the border should be agreed through negotiations. Further substantial progress on delimitation is an important factor in reducing tensions, avoiding misunderstandings and incidents at the international border.
Violence, threats, harsh rhetoric and the spread of misinformation must cease in order to create an environment conducive to peace and normalisation talks. The recommitment to dialogue in good faith remains as urgent as ever. This requires genuine commitment by all sides to work towards negotiated outcomes. Humanitarian issues must be resolved and concrete steps need to be taken urgently to rebuild trust.
The EU remains fully committed to facilitating dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan and to supporting efforts to strengthen peace and security in the South Caucasus, for the benefit of all people in the region. We should not lose the momentum built in recent months for settling the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is important to continue the negotiations," reads the statement.
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