European Council President Charles Michel has stepped up efforts to broker a final ‘peace deal’ in the South Caucasus.
Two senior diplomats confirmed to POLITICO that the former Belgian prime minister held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in the UK earlier this month.
Michel also wrote to both sides, urging them to return to the table and “finalise the peace agreement” by making progress on outstanding issues such as border demarcation.
But Brussels is disappointed that the long-awaited ceasefire has failed to materialise after months of delays and diplomatic deadlock.
Despite talks with Michel, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev have not been able to meet, with both sides blaming each other for the lack of a solution.
In the end, it is up to both sides to stop playing games and reach an agreement, because President Michel has done everything in the EU’s power to reach a peace deal,’ said a senior EU diplomat close to Michel.
Tensions have been rising again for some time. Last week, Azerbaijan’s defence ministry accused Armenia of ‘provocations’ along the two countries’ shared border and threatened to ‘take the necessary response measures in self-defence with all available means’.
Armenia, for its part, says the accusations are disinformation.
