Wednesday, September 13 2023 15:11

ArmInfo.Below is a statement by the spokesperson of Charles Michel, President of the  European Council, regarding Armenia and Azerbaijan: 

"In line with elements and proposals outlined publicly in our  statement on September 1st, 2023, President Michel continued to be  closely engaged in advancing those and other approaches, with a  primary focus on de-escalation of tensions and the humanitarian  situation facing the Karabakh Armenians.

"In particular, President Michel has been engaged in intense contacts  over the past few days, both with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev during telephone  conversations on September 9, 2023, but also with President of  Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the margins of the G20 New Delhi  summit on September 10, 2023.

"These efforts, supported by daily interaction of his office and EUSR  Toivo Klaar with Baku, Yerevan and representatives of Karabakh  Armenians, have been aimed at de-escalation of tensions and working  out a solution for unblocking humanitarian access to Karabakh  Armenians.

"In this context, we note the passage today of a Russian humanitarian  delivery via the Agdam-Askeran route. We understand all the  sensitivities associated with this development; it is our expectation  that it will create a momentum for the resumption of regular  humanitarian deliveries to the local population.

"The situation on the ground is deteriorating quickly. It is vital to  ensure essential products are supplied to Karabakh Armenians. The  opening of the Agdam-Askeran route today is an important step that  should facilitate the reopening also of the Lachin corridor. We call  on all stakeholders to show responsibility and flexibility in  ensuring that both the Lachin and the Agdam-Askeran route will be  used.

"This difficult situation on the ground has lasted for too long; it  is now important to find sustainable and mutually acceptable  solutions to ensure humanitarian access, also ahead of the autumn and  winter seasons.

"We reiterate our strong belief that the Lachin corridor must be  unblocked, in line with past agreements and the ICJ Order, and  underline our belief in the usefulness also of other supply routes,  for the benefit of the local population." 

The EU expects that today's developments will be followed by more  concrete steps in the coming days and weeks, also regarding the  dialogue between Baku and Karabakh Armenians on their rights and  security, reconciliation efforts and the overall Armenia-Azerbaijan  peace process.