BAKU: Armenia, Azerbaijan Should Respect Ceasefire – EU Envoy

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN SHOULD RESPECT CEASEFIRE – EU ENVOY

news.az
Aug 16, 2011
Azerbaijan

The head of the European Union office in Baku has called on Azerbaijan
and Armenia to respect the ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict, agreed
in 1994.

Roland Kobia’s comments came as exchanges of fire along the contact
line separating the two countries’ troops have become a near daily
occurrence.

“There should not be such incidents on either the Azerbaijani or
Armenian side, as there is a ceasefire. There shouldn’t be any deaths
there. Both sides should respect the ceasefire regime,” Ambassador
Roland Kobia told journalists in Baku on Tuesday.

Commenting on the talks to find a solution to the Karabakh conflict,
the EU envoy said” “We want the process to continue and would not
like to think that it has failed.”

He acknowledged that progress had not been made at the meeting of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, mediated by the Russian president,
in Kazan on 24 June.

“But this does not mean that the whole process has failed. Of course,
the lack of progress at the Kazan meeting is disappointing, but later
there was the meeting in Sochi which, I heard, took place in a very
positive atmosphere,” Kobia said, referring to the meeting of the
Russian and Azerbaijani presidents in Sochi on 9 August.

Talking about planned talks between Azerbaijan and the European Union
on easing the visa regime, Kobia said: “We are expecting to receive
a special mandate, which will authorize the visa facilitation talks
between Azerbaijan and the European Union. The talks will begin as
soon as the special mandate is given.”

He said they expected to receive the mandate in the next few months.

“The talks will focus on visa facilitation issues. If the dialogue
is successful and agreement is reached, travel to the EU for some
sections of the Azerbaijani population will be simpler.”

Interfax-Azerbaijan, APA

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress