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President Charles Michel of the European Council has highlighted the importance of stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus for the EU and of deepening relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan. As the press service at the Council reported, Charles Michel's remarks came during the meeting with acting PM of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan and in phone call with Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev. 

According to the source, He Charles Michel that the full implementation of the 9 November 2020 ceasefire declaration by Azerbaijan and Armenia is essential for regional security and stability. The EU is ready to provide expertise on border delimitation and demarcation and to support confidence building.

The European Union also encourages both parties to cooperate, as matter of urgency, on the return of detainees and full transparency with regard to mine fields, and other important humanitarian issues. The EU is providing almost 20 million EUR in humanitarian assistance and will continue to be engaged.

Addressing these immediate challenges is, however, only a first step towards a sustainable peaceful settlement. The PEC called on both sides to engage in renewed negotiations in a constructive spirit. The European Union has a profound interest in the security, stability and prosperity of the South Caucasus region as an integral part of the EU's Eastern Partnership.