EU foreign policy chief discusses border clashes with Azerbaijani, Armenian top diplomats

By Burak Dag

BRUSSELS (AA) - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell discussed renewed fighting on the Armenia and Azerbaijan border with the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on Tuesday.

Borrell said he had an in-depth discussion about the situation in a telephone call with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.

He said on Twitter that he "called for de-escalation and respect of cease fire. Peaceful dialogue is urgently needed."

The European Union Special Representative (EUSR) "for South Caucasus (Toivo Klaar) is on his way to Baku and Yerevan to facilitate these efforts," he noted.

Borrell also discussed the latest flare-up with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.

"The hostilities must stop and cease fire needs to be respected," he wrote in a separate tweet.

Azerbaijan accused Armenia of “large-scale provocations” in recent days, saying saboteurs planted mines and Armenian forces carried out “intensive” firing on Azerbaijani positions.

The actions by Armenian forces led to the confrontation, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, adding there were casualties on both sides, including 50 Azerbaijani soldiers.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said 49 Armenian soldiers have been killed in the latest flare-up with Azerbaijan.

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan liberated several cities and over 300 settlements and villages in 2020 that were occupied by Armenia. The fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.