Michel reiterates EU’s commitment to deepen its cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan

European Council President Charles Michel has reiterated the EU’s commitment to deepen its cooperation with both countries to promote a South Caucasus “that is secure, stable, peaceful and prosperous for the benefit of all people living in the region”. The statement was published on 31 May, “in the context of the past days’ tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan”.

Charles Michel also welcomed the first meeting of both countries’ Border Commissions on 24 May and stressed the paramount importance of ensuring stability and security along the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan as delimitation will be pursued.

Michel stressed that for a sustainable normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is important to address all outstanding issues at hand, including advancing discussions on the future peace treaty and addressing the root causes of conflict. According to Michel, all core issues that had led to the first Nagorno-Karabakh war as well as to the renewed hostilities in 2020 will need to be addressed by all stakeholders to create conditions for lasting and equitable peace.

“As with any legacy of conflict – terminology is particularly sensitive in this context. President Michel’s statement on outcomes of the leaders meeting on 22 May should not be interpreted as favouring a pre-determined outcome of discussions either way. What ultimately matters most is that all issues are comprehensively addressed; this includes rights and security of all populations,” says the statement.

EU Special Representative, Toivo Klaar, will be travelling to the region in the coming days to follow up on all aspects under discussion.

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Press release