Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Europe is in favor of a just solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of agreed principles, a European Parliament member has said.

Ramona Manescu, who is also Vice President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, was responding to a query of the European Azerbaijan Society regarding the bitter dispute between the two South Caucasus republics.

Manescu said that in order to realize the existing social and economic potential, firstly, the security of the regional states should be ensured and they should live in peace with their neighbors.

The MEP stressed that strong support is urgently needed in order to foster sustainable cooperation, regional development and resolve the conflict peacefully and to put an end to the military intervention and any violence against the conflict parties.

"As a member of the European Parliament and Vice President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, I believe that it is necessary to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as the civil right of internally displaced persons to return to their lands and their personal safety. I expect from both the Armenian and Azerbaijani leadership that first of all, understanding which is important for their citizens would help them reach an agreement to stop the conflict and ensure well-being and prosperity for their nations," Manescu said.

She also noted that the EU supports international mediation efforts through the OSCE Minsk Group and states that it is ready to play its role in a peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Armenian armed forces have since occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, defying the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on a pullout from the occupied territories.

Peace talks aimed at resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.