October 8, 2020

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On the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone

The European Union expresses its deepest concern at the continuation of violent armed clashes in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone and beyond. In particular, it deplores the persistently high loss of life, including among the civilian population, and is also concerned by the reports of considerable damage to civilian infrastructure.

The European Union condemns in the strongest terms all use of force and reiterates its appeal to the parties to cease hostilities without delay and to return to strict and unconditional adherence to the ceasefire. It once again urges the parties to take immediate steps to break the spiral of escalation and to refrain from any action or rhetoric likely to further increase tensions on the ground. In that regard, it stresses that any involvement by external parties in the escalation of violence undermines the efforts to achieve a lasting solution to the conflict and represents a serious threat to peace and stability in the region.

Echoing the very large number of appeals by the international community since 27 September, in particular by the United Nations Security Council on 29 September, the Presidents of the countries co-chairing the Minsk Group on 1 October and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the countries co-chairing the Minsk Group on 5 October, the European Union solemnly enjoins the parties to undertake to resume constructive and substantive negotiations, in good faith and without preconditions, so as to achieve a peaceful and lasting settlement to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh under the aegis of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group.

The European Union takes this opportunity to reiterate its full support for the OSCE Minsk Group and its Co-Chairs and for the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office. The candidate countries the Republic of North Macedonia¹, Montenegro¹, Serbia¹ and Albania¹, the European Free Trade Association countries and members of the European Economic Area Iceland and Liechtenstein, as well as the Republic of Moldova, Andorra and San Marino, align themselves with this statement.

1 The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.