Azerbaijani FM says format and agenda of Karabakh peace talks unchanged
By Akbar Mammadov
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said that the format and agenda of the negotiations in the settlement process of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remain unchanged, the ministry’s website reported on April 29.
Mammadyarov made the remarks during the phone conversation with the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia, Toivo Klaar.
Mammadyarov informed his interlocutor about the recent video-conference meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia with the mediation and participation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.
Furthermore, the minister stressed the importance of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, and the related UN Security Council resolutions, including the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and the return of the internally displaced persons to their homes and properties, the ministry said.
During the telephone conversation, the sides also exchanged views around the current situation in the region, as well as in the EU member states in light of fighting global pandemic and noted the importance of international cooperation and solidarity in this regard.
EU relations with Azerbaijan date back to 1991 and are based on the EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (signed in 1996, entering into force in 1999), which provides for a wide-ranging cooperation in the areas of political dialogue, trade, investment, economy, legislation and culture. Since then, the European Union has gradually expanded the scope of its assistance to and cooperation with Azerbaijan.
Since 2004, Azerbaijan has been included (as a southern Caucasus country) in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), and also in the Eastern Partnership initiative since its inauguration in 2009.
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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97
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