European Parliament: Status quo in Karabakh conflict fragile

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is fragile, David McAllister, Chairman of the European Parliament’s committee on foreign affairs, said on May 25.

This conflict has no military solution, McAllister said in Yerevan, adding that a long-term settlement based on international law is needed, RIA Novosti reports.

McAllister stressed that the EU supports the OSCE Minsk Group's efforts in this work, calling on the parties to respect the ceasefire and their commitment to peaceful settlement of the conflict.

He noted that Brussels is concerned about an arms race in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, confrontational rhetoric and incidents on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, which lead to casualties.

McAllister also said the EU urges the sides to resume negotiations without preconditions on the basis of the OSCE Minsk Group proposals.

The OSCE Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, spearheads the OSCE's efforts to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Although the OSCE Minsk Group deals with the issue for over two decades, its activities have brought no breakthrough results so far.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.