EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on Wednesday held a three-way phone call with the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, amid rising tensions along the border
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2020) EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on Wednesday held a three-way phone call with the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, amid rising tensions along the border.
"During their discussions, Josep Borrell urged both sides to stop the armed confrontation and to refrain from action and rhetoric that provoke tension, in particular from any further threats to critical infrastructure in the region. He stressed that all regional actors should contribute to this peaceful goal," a press release issued by the European External Action Service read.
Borrell also called for direct negotiations between the parties to the conflict and stressed the need to relaunch the OSCE monitoring mission as soon as possible.
The armed confrontation escalated on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on July 12, north from the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, where the two countries waged war for decades. The clashes took place near the Movses village along the contact line between Armenia's Tavush province and Azerbaijan's Tovuz province. Yerevan and Baku blamed the initiation of the firing on the other.
Azerbaijan has so far reported 12 troops killed as a result of armed hostilities, while Armenia has reported four fatalities. According to Yerevan, another ten servicemen and one civilian have sustained injuries.
