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Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 16 / Trend News V.Zhavoronkova /

"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Armenian-Turkish relations, as well as energy issues, are the main topics we discussed at our meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov," EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby said in Baku.

He did not comment specifically on his talks with the Azerbaijani leadership.

Semneby said the frequent meetings between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is a positive factor in settling the conflict.

"There have been a great deal of meeting and these cannot result in a loss," he added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 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 the peace negotiations.

According to Semneby, the EU see the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border as a positive sign, "as it is in line with our vision of a region where all borders will be open in the future, where people can safely travel and trade flows."

He said the situation in the South Caucasus is complex. Three important borders are closed, including the Turkish-Armenian, Azerbaijanii-Armenian and Georgian-Russian.

It is necessary to start somewhere, Semneby said.

"We hope and insist on serious progress on this issue," the EU special representative said.

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