There has been intensive contacts over the last days between the European Union and the leaderships of Armenia and Azerbaijan. EU Special Representative, Toivo Klaar, visited both countries last week, and over the weekend, European Council president, Charles Michel, held separate phone conversations with the Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, and the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev. It is understood that the EU is trying to keep the momentum from the agreements reached in Brussels on 6 April at the meeting between Pashinyan and Aliyev facilitated by Michel.
According to the Armenian readout, Pashinyan and Michel discussed the situation in the South Caucasus and the state of EU-Armenian relations. The interlocutors also touched upon a variety of issues relating to the implementation of the agreements reached on the 6 April meeting with Aliyev. Michel reportedly reiterated the EU’s commitment to promoting dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Following the meeting, Michel tweeted that he had discussed “the prospects for further work towards advancing a stable, peaceful and prosperous future for the South Caucasus”.
On Saturday, (23 April), Michel and Aliyev held a call, during which they also discussed the outcomes of the 6 April meeting, stressing the importance of tangible and results-oriented work. The Azerbaijani president also thanked Michel for his work supporting the normalisation of relations, including in helping in the demarcation process. He added that Azerbaijan was “ready for negotiations with Armenia in the ‘Baku-Yerevan’ format”. President Aliyev said that as had been decided in the Brussels meeting the Azerbaijani side determined the composition of the National Commission for the delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, and formed the delegation to draft a peace agreement with Armenia.
The sides also exchanged views on prospects for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union, as well as other issues of mutual interest.