EU’s Michel talks Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, Karabakh

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Union (EU) is working for signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan soon, President of the European Council Charles Michel said in an interview with the Azerbaijani service of RFE/RL, which was published on Tuesday, December 12.

Michel said Brussels negotiations will be resuming too and elaborated that the agreement should be based on border delimitation.

He said the sides have mode progress and that there is a political will on both sides to work towards mutual recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty, delimitation of borders and restoration of transport links in the region.

When asked who will guarantee the implementation of provisions in the peace agreement, Michel said the international community, including the European Union, is watching what is happening in the region, because the more the South Caucasus advances in terms of security and economic development, the more the European Union and the world will benefit from it.

“For example, we think that the rights of ethnic Armenians to return to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, or at least to visit there, should be guaranteed. And in accordance with international standards, it should be ensured in terms of protecting the safety of national minorities. This should be guaranteed within the framework of the protection of national minorities included in the Constitution of Azerbaijan. We are negotiating with both [Armenian PM] Nikol Pashinyan and [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev in order to eliminate all difficulties. I sincerely believe that today's progress will be followed by further steps in the right direction towards the normalization of relations and strengthening of security in this important region,” Michel said.

According to a document signed by Yerevan and Baku on December 7, Azerbaijan will release 32 Armenian servicemen, while Armenia will release 2 Azerbaijani soldiers – one of whom was charged with murder after he killed an employee of the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine

“The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan will continue their discussions regarding the implementation of more confidence building measures, effective in the near future and call on the international community to support their efforts that will contribute to building mutual trust between two countries and will positively impact the entire South Caucasus region,” the statement added.