Azernews.Az

LONDON – Britain and the European Union are interested in aiding Azerbaijan and Armenia to resolve their long-standing conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Karabakh, British Minister for Europe David Lidington said on a visit to Azerbaijan on Wednesday.

Lidington said while delivering a report on "Azerbaijan and its role in Europe" at the State University of Languages that the EU was concerned over the unresolved conflict in Azerbaijani territory and could step up its collective efforts to find a solution.

The British minister also voiced concern over the frequent skirmishes between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops. He expressed support for the work of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group, which is assisting the sides in their efforts to settle the dispute peacefully and through steady negotiations.

"But I think that the EU could do even more. Notably, it is possible to offer some assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia after the conflict has been resolved. One of my tasks is to evaluate whether increased joint effort by Britain and the EU could bring about change in any areas."

The Karabakh conflict emerged during the last few years of the Soviet Union. 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory has been under Armenian occupation since the two South Caucasus republics signed a precarious cease-fire in 1994 following a lengthy war. The Minsk Group, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France, is brokering peace talks.