EU urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to avoid steps that could harm normalization process

ATHENS

The EU on Tuesday called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to avoid steps that could harm the ongoing normalization process between the two countries.

“The Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process has, during the past month, seen an intensification, which the European Union welcomes. The EU believes that it is important to keep this historic momentum and avoid steps, including hostile rhetoric, that could put the peace process at risk,” an EU statement said.

It said that it is important to take steps to “build confidence, engage in good faith and show leadership to reach solutions on all issues related to the comprehensive normalization.”

“Despite the difficult conflict history and past grievances, all issues need to be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, through dialogue. The EU is committed to supporting the parties in this endeavor,” it added.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The Russia-brokered peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.

Despite the ongoing talks on a peace agreement between Baku and Yerevan, tensions between the neighboring countries increased in recent months over the Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia access to Karabakh.