EU calls for peace in Nagorno-Karabakh

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday held a three-way phone call with his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts to discuss the latest armed confrontations in the border zone between the two countries.

It was the first time that Borrell talked simultaneously with the newly appointed Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, the chief of Armenian diplomacy.

The EU top diplomat urged both sides to stop the armed confrontation and to reaffirm their commitment to a cease-fire.

According the EU foreign policy chief, Azerbaijan and Armenia should take advantage of the dispute settlement mechanism of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

At the same time, Borrell showed commitment to continue talks with the two parties and tasked the EU's Special Representative for the South Caucasus to support the process.

On July 12, the Armenian army violated a cease-fire and attacked Azerbaijani positions with artillery fire, withdrawing after losses following retaliation from the Azerbaijani army.

A dozen Azerbaijani soldiers were killed, including high-ranking officers, and one civilian.

Since 1991, the Armenian military has illegally occupied the Upper Karabakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) region, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.