EU NOT TO RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

People’s Daily Online, China
July 21 2007

The European Union (EU) stressed on Friday that it does not recognize
the independence of Nagorno- Karabakh or the legitimacy of Thursday’s
"presidential elections" in the conflict zone.

In a statement issued by the European Commission, the EU reiterated
its firm support to the OSCE Minsk Group and its efforts toward a
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

It also urged the concerned parties to intensify their efforts to
find a negotiated solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, the EU expressed the hope that refugees and
internally-displaced persons should be given the right to a safe,
secure and dignified return of their homes in the region.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region in Azerbaijan populated mostly by ethnic
Armenians. Armed conflict broke out in the early 1990s between
Azerbaijan and Armenia over the region’s status after it declared
independence, which was not recognized by the international community
except Armenia.

A ceasefire deal was reached in 1994 after mediation by the Minsk
Group, set up by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE). However, disputes still remain between Armenia and
Azerbaijan on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.