EU urges compliance with Upper Karabakh cease-fire deal

By Sena Guler

ANKARA (AA) - The EU on Thursday called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to implement the cease-fire agreement for the settlement of the Upper Karabakh conflict.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, spoke separately by phone with the foreign ministers of the two countries, according to a statement by his office.

Borrell, who is also the vice president of the European Commission, “expressed the hope that the cessation of hostilities will enable efforts towards a lasting peaceful resolution of the conflict and will prevent further human suffering” in both calls, it said.

“He highlighted that the EU stands ready to provide further humanitarian assistance to address the needs of the civilian populations affected by the conflict,” the statement said.

“First and foremost, the ceasefire must be fully respected and implemented by both sides,” Borrell said, adding the deal “can constitute a first step towards a negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the conflict.”

He also stressed the EU’s commitment to continue to support the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs-led format and noted that the bloc is ready to contribute to the group’s efforts to establish lasting peace.

“The High Representative/Vice-President looked forward to remaining in contact with both ministers in the coming weeks, ahead of the upcoming EU-Armenia Partnership Council and EU-Azerbaijan Cooperation Council,” the statement said.

Relations between the former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, but new clashes erupted on Sept. 27.

On Nov. 10, Russia announced that the cease-fire agreement was signed by the two countries for a long-term and comprehensive solution to the three-decade-long conflict.

The deal declared a complete cease-fire and end to more than six weeks of fighting. Baku liberated nearly 300 of its settlements, including the strategic city of Shusha, during this period.