In telephone talks on Thursday 12 November with Jeyhun Bayramov and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia respectively, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, called for the ceasefire agreed on 9 November to be fully respected and implemented.
Borrell stated that the ceasefire could “constitute a first step towards a negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the conflict”. In a press release, the European External Action Service stated that the High Representative set out for the foreign ministers the importance of peace-building and reconciliation and, in this regard, of observing the principles of international humanitarian law and protecting cultural heritage.
Borrell also expressed the hope that the cessation of hostilities would allow efforts towards a lasting peaceful resolution of the conflict and prevent further human suffering. He announced that the EU stands ready to provide further humanitarian assistance to address the needs of the civilian populations affected by the conflict.
The EEAS statement indicates that the EU is also ready to support the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and to contribute to implementation of agreements leading to sustainable peace and prosperous development of the entire South Caucasus region. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)