Azerbaijan, Baku, June 21 / Trend A.Badalova /
The European Commission calls for a fair resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the agreed principles, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said at a press-conference in Brussels on Friday on the results of the meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Barroso's statement is posted on the European Union's official website.
"We know well that for countries in the region to realize their full potential they need to be secure and at peace with their neighbors," he said.
According to Barroso, the EU supports the international mediation efforts through the OSCE Minsk Group and stands ready to play its part for a lasting and peaceful settlement.
Barroso said that broader issues were discussed during the meeting with the Azerbaijani President.
"Azerbaijan is an important partner with whom we cooperate closely on a number of regional and global issues. We also looked ahead to Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Council of Europe next year," he said.
"We also shared our views on key domestic issues for Azerbaijan. The Presidential elections are high on the list. We expressed our hope that these can take place according to the highest standards, with the support of international observers including from OSCE-ODIHR," Barroso said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.