The European Union is sorry that despite efforts made for the settlement of conflicts in the OSCE member states, no significant progress has been achieved, Deputy Secretary General for the European External Action Service, Helga Schmidt said during a speech at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Kiev on Dec.5. “Unfortunately, little progress has been achieved despite efforts made for the settlement of conflicts,” Schmidt said.
The European Union supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group in this direction, she said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
