EU urges Armenia, Azerbaijan to respect 1991 line in absence of delimited border
The European Union External Action Service has deplored Tuesday's clashes on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
Four Armenian soldiers were killed and six wounded in a border skirmish provoked by Azerbaijani forces on Tuesday afternoon.
The Armenian Defense Ministry said Armenian troops came under Azerbaijani fire when they were conducting engineering work near Tegh, a border village in southeastern Syunik Province.
"The EU deplores the armed clashes that yesterday led to several Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen being killed or injured on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the area of Tegh," Nabila Massrali, EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement on Wednesday.
"This incident yet again emphasises that in the absence of a delimited border, the 1991 line must be respected the forces of either side withdrawn to safe distances from this line to prevent any similar incidents from occurring.
"Previous commitments must be respected, including those reached in Prague in October 2022 regarding the mutual recognition of territorial integrity in line with the 1991 Almaty Declaration. The EU also urges the intensification of negotiations on the delimitation of the border and continues to stand ready to support this process.
"We renew our calls for restraint and for the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means. The EU continues to support these efforts, including at the highest level, and also through the presence of the EU Mission in Armenia," reads the statement.
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