Issues related to unblocking regional transportation and economic infrastructures, as well as the rights and security of Artsakh’s population discussed
Talks between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan in Brussels, which lasted more than two and a half hours, concluded on Sunday, with the European Council President Charles Michel, who initiated the meeting, holding discussions with the two leaders separately ahead of the summit.
Pashinyan’s press office reported that during the meeting, issues related to the unblocking of regional transport and economic infrastructures, border demarcation and border security between the two countries, as well as the agreement on the regulation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan were discussed.
The need to address the rights and security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, as well as issues related to prisoners of war, missing persons and other humanitarian issues also were discussed.
The sides agreed to continue discussions during a meeting on June 1 in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, with the participation of the President Emmanuel Macron of France and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“I believe we should be modest in our expectations that a comprehensive peace document can be signed on Sunday evening. It will take a long time and work,” a high-ranking European diplomat told Azatutyun.am, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
According to the prime minister’s press service, Pashinyan briefed Michel, during his meeting on Saturday, about the situation resulting from what he called “provocative and aggressive” actions by the Azerbaijani military against Armenia’s sovereign territory.
Beginning on Thursday and continuing into Friday Azerbaijani forces mounted a large-scale offensive against Armenian positions in the Ghegharkunik Province. As a result of the attacks, which also included the use of drones, one Armenian soldier was killed and four others injured.
Pashinyan told Michel on Saturday that the Azerbaijani provocations “are aimed at disrupting the efforts for resuming the peace talks.”
The two leaders also discussed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Artsakh resulting from the illegal blockade of Azerbaijan’s Lachin Corridor as well as issues related to normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
When confirming Sunday’s summit, Michel’s office also announced that that Pashinyan and Aliyev will met on June 1 in Chisinau, with the participation of Macron and Scholz.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry on Friday announced that Aliyev may not attend the June 1 meeting, prompting Michel’s spokesperson to counter Baku’s position, saying that despite Azerbaijan’s posturing on the matter, the European Union reaffirms that there is an agreement that the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will meet not only in Brussels, but also in Moldova, with the participation of the French president and the German chancellor, Michel’s spokesperson Barend Leyts told Azatutyun.am’s Armenian Service on Friday.
The Chisinau meeting was a topic of discussion when Michel met with Aliyev on Sunday.
According to Azerbaijani press reports, the two leaders voiced satisfactions with the restoration of the so-called “Brussels format” of negotiations.
A discussion also took place about the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Washington earlier this month, which took place at the invitation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
