Josep Borrell stresses need to restore substantive negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Affairs Josep Borrell and Armenian FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held phone talks, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press service reported.

Bayramov informed Borrell about the military provocation of the Armenian armed forces on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and the suppression of the attempted attack with the use of artillery installations, as well the ongoing tension in the region. He noted that during the recent provocation, the Armenian side shelled and deliberately targeted Azerbaijani border settlements, resulting in death of a 76-year-old civilian.

The Azerbaijani FM brought to Borrell's attention that the Armenian side also aims at creating a threat to geostrategic projects located close to the mentioned area. It was stressed that the tension roots from the aggressive policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan.

Borrell noted the importance of stopping the conflict escalation, including the creation of threats to important infrastructure in the region. He pointed out the need to restore substantive negotiations on the settlement of the conflict through the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Bayramov noted that Azerbaijan remains committed to the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but stressed that the negotiations should be conducted in essence and aimed at a specific result.

Borrel was informed that the Azerbaijani side does not participate in the negotiations for the sake of negotiations, as they have been going on for many years, but there are no concrete results to eliminate the consequences of the conflict.

Armenian side's attempts to prolong negotiations under various pretexts, instead of solving the issue, were highlighted.

Azerbaijan's foreign minister stressed the importance of withdrawing the Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, restoring the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the internationally recognized borders, fulfilling the demands of the international community led by UN Security Council resolutions and the decisive position of the EU on resolving the conflict.