The current status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is unsustainable and its peaceful resolution remains a priority for the EU, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, said in the article posted on the euractiv.com website.
“We call for an immediate de-escalation of violence,” Kocijancic said. “The sides should show restraint on the ground, strictly respect the ceasefire and the Geneva conventions. We encourage the sides to re-engage in high level negotiations aimed at an early peaceful and comprehensive settlement.”
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
Trend