EU hails Azerbaijan, Armenia FMs meeting in Paris

By Yusuf Hatip</p> <p>BRUSSELS (AA) – The EU said Friday the meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers sent &quot;a positive signal for progress” in resolving the Upper Karabakh conflict.</p> <p>“[…] most recently in Paris on 16 January 2019, [FMs of both countries] send a positive signal for progress in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” said the EU Commission spokesperson Maja Kocijancic in a statement.</p> <p>Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan agreed to continue negotiations in February on the Upper Karabakh dispute during a four-hour Wednesday meeting in Paris.</p> <p>It was reported that the ministers exchanged views on the importance of building more understanding and confidence.</p> <p>“The European Union is looking forward to the full implementation of their outcomes […] ,” read the statement.</p> <p>It added that a lasting peace would benefit everyone and “would help to enable the South Caucasus region to fulfil its potential.”</p> <p>The meeting in Paris was mediated by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Minsk Group Co-Chairs Igor Popov of Russia, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the U.S., according to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry.</p> <p>Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative of the OSCE chairman in office, also attended the meeting.</p> <p>Karabakh – a disputed territory between Azerbaijan and Armenia – broke away from Azerbaijan in 1991 with military support from neighboring Armenia, and a peace process has yet to be implemented.</p> <p>Three UN Security Council resolutions and two UN General Assembly resolutions refer to Karabakh as being part of Azerbaijan.</p> <p>The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe refers to the region as being occupied by Armenian forces.</p> <p>The Armenian occupation of Upper Karabakh led to the closing of the frontier with Turkey, which sides with Baku in the drawn-out dispute.