Borrell: EU continues to support efforts towards Armenia, Azerbaijan  on all pending issues

ArmInfo.The EU continues to support efforts towards the normalisation of relations between Armenia  and Azerbaijan on all pending issues. This is stated in a written answer from the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell to questions from MEPs.

"On the situation of detainees from Nagorno-Karabakh, the EU calls on  Azerbaijan to respect due process, the basic principles for the protection  of detainees, and ensure transparency.

The EU firmly believes that confidence-building measures, including  the release and repatriation of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan, can  benefit the overall peace process and pave the way for increased confidence  between the sides.

In this respect, the EU welcomed the joint Armenia-Azerbaijan  statement of 7 December 2023[1] on confidence-building measures, including  the exchange of prisoners, and continues to call for further action in this  respect.

The EU continues to engage with Azerbaijan as part of its regular  Human Rights Dialogue as well as in bilateral contacts. The EU Delegation  in Baku is following closely the situation on the ground, and is in close  contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has regular  access to Armenian detainees.

Furthermore, the EU continues to call upon Azerbaijan to ensure the  rights of Karabakh Armenians, including their right to return to their homes  without intimidation and discrimination.

The EU also continues to provide support to the Karabakh Armenians  who were displaced in September 2023 and before, and has provided over  EUR 33 million in humanitarian aid to support their needs through direct  humanitarian aid and budget support to the Armenian government since then,"  the EU High Representative's concluded.