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MEPs: EU participation in peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be enhanced

18 May 2018 11:30 (UTC+04:00)
MEPs: EU participation in peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be enhanced

By Rashid Shirinov

The participation of the European Union (EU) in the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be enhanced, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) noted on May 17.

They made the remarks in the European Parliament’s recommendation on the negotiations on the EU-Azerbaijan Comprehensive Agreement.

The MEPs emphasized that new agreements between the EU and each of the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be conditioned by substantial progress in the process of peaceful settlement of the conflict.

In particular, Parliament’s rapporteur Norica Nicolai said that the EU borders are becoming more and more insecure, and therefore an intensive dialogue and cooperation within the Eastern Partnership program, including Azerbaijan, becomes essential.

“Honest and trustful relationship between the EU and Azerbaijan will bring economic benefits to both sides,” she added.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz

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