The EU calls on parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to refrain from actions and statements that could heighten tensions and undermine the peace process, said the EU report on Azerbaijan’s progress within the European Neighbourhood Policy.
“Last year it was the 20th anniversary of the 1994 ceasefire agreement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict against the background of a continued stalemate,” said the EU, adding that the security situation on the ground remained a matter of serious concern amid incidents and casualties on a level not seen since 1994.
The EU also underscored its commitment to support the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and peace-building activities.
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 four UN Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
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