EU welcomes Moscow, Helsinki declarations on Nagorno-Karabakh

Hurriyet

The European Union has welcomed the Nov.2 Moscow declaration and the Dec.4 Helsinki declaration on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told an Azeri news agency on Thursday.

It has become even clearer that a military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not an option after the Russia-Georgia conflict in August, Solana told the Trend News Agency.  

“In this spirit, we welcomed the Moscow declaration of 2 November and the declaration of Helsinki of 4 December, as they confirmed that all sides sign up to the need for a peaceful solution. We fully support the Minsk Group and we ready to help in any way we can, for instance through confidence-building measures and people-to-people contacts,” he said.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 on Armenian territorial claims over Azerbaijan. Since 1992 Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts.

Some 10 percent of the Azeri population was displaced due to a series of bloody clashes both between and within the two neighboring countries.

In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

The conflict in Georgia has demonstrated the vulnerability of the region as well as the complexity of the conflicts and the high risks related to them, he added.

Regional cooperation and constructive dialogue are hence more essential than ever for the region’s stability, prosperity and progress, he said.

“In this context, we welcomed the recent signs of rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey as a basis for the normalization of bilateral relations. We strongly encourage both parties to continue this path and pursue constructive dialogue”, Solana said.

Progress in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will also facilitate the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, he said adding there is now a momentum that should not be lost.

“We actively encourage any form of regional cooperation and constructive dialogue leading to stronger ties between the countries in the region as the best way to create prosperity and stability for all. Don’t forget that the European Union is itself a very good example of regional co-operation and of how conflicts can be overcome,” he added.

Helsinki and Moscow declarations, signed by Armenian and Azerbaijani officials, called for a “peaceful resolution” to the countries’ dispute over the province of Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis of “binding international guarantees”, taking a step further towards resolution of the conflict.

Source: arama.hurriyet.com.tr/arsivnews.aspx?id=10641610

Posted by admin December 2008

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