EU welcomes intensification of Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation

The European Union Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano has said the EU welcomed an intensification of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process over the past month.

It is important to keep this historic momentum and avoid steps, including hostile rhetoric, that could put the peace process at risk, Caliber.Az quotes Stano as saying in a press statement that came online on EU External Action.

Following the negotiations on the peace treaty that were held in the United States in early May, a leaders’ meeting took place in Brussels on May 14, ahead of another meeting scheduled for June 1 in Chisinau, Moldova. The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan also met in Moscow.

In Brussels, they focused on several key topics, such as border issues, connectivity, humanitarian issues and the rights and security of Armenians living on the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Since then, the leaders reaffirmed publicly their unequivocal commitment to the 1991 Almaty Declaration and the respective territorial integrity of Armenia (29,800 square km) and Azerbaijan (86,600 square km).

“We welcome Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s courageous statement in this regard on May 22 and Armenia’s clear readiness to work on the delimitation of the bilateral border. We also welcome Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s statement on May 25,” the statement reads.

As work on these sensitive issues continues, it is key to take steps to build confidence, engage in good faith and show leadership to reach solutions on all issues pertaining to comprehensive normalisation.

Despite the difficult conflict history and past grievances, all issues need to be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, through dialogue.
The EU is committed to supporting the parties in this endeavour.