The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton welcomed the meeting between the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev held in Vienna on November 19, EU High Representative’s press-service reported today. According to the report, Ashton commends the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in their efforts to facilitate the resumption of top level meetings.
‘The presidents’ agreement to advance negotiations and meet again in the months ahead is encouraging’, the message said.
Ashton is ready to engage in renewed efforts towards the political settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to further contribute to peace-building efforts in support of and complementarity with the OSCE Minsk Group.
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. /Trend/
