Malena Mard: EU hopes Karabakh conflict to be resolved peacefully

The European Union (EU) is following the developments on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops very closely, Malena Mard, the head of the EU Delegation in Azerbaijan, told reporters in Baku on May 5th, Trend reports.

As EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said herself, the status quo of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is unsustainable, Mard said.

The EU hopes peaceful negotiations under the OSCE regarding the conflict's resolution will continue, Mard said, adding that the EU supports OSCE MG efforts for the conflict's peaceful settlement.

Recall, on the night of April 2 all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, densely populated by civilians, were shelled.

Three weeks after the new truce between the parties of the conflict the Armenian Armed Forces shelled peaceful Azerbaijani villages and the town of Terter. Two villagers of Chemenli in the Agdam region were killed: Famil Mustafayev and Ali Huseynov. Anar Abdullayev, Zahid Rahimov, Sirdash Kerimov and Ail Mammadov and the resident of Efendi Elnur Mammadov, the resident of Garadagli Elgiz Garayev and resident Zangyushaly Magomedali Imanov were wounded by their neighbors.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.