'Clear progress' in Armenia-Azerbaijan talks, says Charles Michel

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, European Council President Charles Michel and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian (left to right), May 14, 2023 in Brussels. REUTERS - JOHANNA GERON

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Talks were held on Sunday (May 14th) in Brussels between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, whose two countries have had very conflictual relations for decades. Charles Michel, the President of the Council of Europe who initiated the meeting, is optimistic about a future peace agreement.

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After new deadly clashes – one soldier from each side killed – on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan during the week, with control of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave still as a major point of contention, it was time for appeasement Sunday in Belgium. In the capital Brussels, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met for a fifth meeting as part of a European mediation.

Charles Michel, initiator of this meeting, assured that the two leaders "shared a common desire for peace" and described their exchanges as "frank, open and productive". "Following the recent positive talks in the United States on a peace treaty (in early May in Washington, editor's note), it is necessary to maintain the momentum to take decisive steps towards the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement," he added.

The EU is committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan reach a comprehensive normalisation.

We will continue to contribute to their joint efforts.@presidentaz @NikolPashinyan https://t.co/mHEZI2bLX5

— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) May 14, 2023

According to the President of the European Council, Nikol Pashinyan and Ilham Aliyev agreed to resume bilateral meetings on the issue of border delimitation.

"Clear progress" has been made in unblocking transport, "especially on the reopening of rail links to and through" the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan, nestled between Armenia and Iran, he said. The two leaders also agreed on further releases of detainees "in the coming weeks", according to the European official.

A new meeting is scheduled for 1 June in Moldova. In addition to Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will take part in the second summit of the European Political Community.

(with AFP)

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Read on on the same topics:

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Nikol Pashinyan
  • Ilham Aliev
  • Nagorno-Karabakh