On Tuesday 31 May, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, welcomed the first “historic” meeting of Armenia and Azerbaijan’s border commissions on 24 May, according to a statement by his spokesperson.
With tensions in the region rising in recent days, Michel reiterated the “paramount importance” of ensuring stability and security along the border between the two countries as delimitation continues.
More generally, President Michel stressed that for a sustainable normalisation of relations, it is important to address all outstanding issues, including advancing discussions on the future peace treaty and addressing the root causes of the conflict, the spokesperson said. “All core issues that had led to the first Nagorno-Karabakh war as well as to the renewed hostilities in 2020 will need to be addressed by all stakeholders to create conditions for lasting and equitable peace”, he added.
The spokesperson said that Mr Michel’s statement on 22 May should not be interpreted as favouring a pre-determined outcome of the discussion one way or another (see EUROPE 12958/17). What ultimately matters most is that all issues are addressed in full, including the rights and security of all populations.
Recalling that during a discussion on connectivity on 22 May, both sides confirmed that there were no extraterritorial claims on future transport infrastructure, the spokesperson said that any speculation to the contrary is “regrettable”.
Finally, according to his spokesperson, Mr Michel stressed the need to prepare people for peace and the paramount role that public rhetoric plays in this regard.
The EU Special Representative, Toivo Klaar, will visit the region in the next few days to follow up on all aspects of the discussions. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)