20:57,

YEREVAN, JULY 22, ARMENPRESS. Lasting peace in the South Caucasus region can only be established as a result of comprehensive solutions, which requires real and sincere efforts from both sides, ARMENPRESS reports after the meetings held in the National Assembly of Armenia, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament David McAlister said, whose delegation is in Yerevan on a regional visit.

"Discussions with our Armenian partners were very useful to better understand the concerns that Armenia has in the current situation regarding security and humanitarian issues. It is very clear that lasting peace can be achieved through comprehensive solutions. This requires real and sincere efforts from both sides. These efforts should be based on the political will and commitment to implement the agreements reached to date. Our visit is a very clear indication of the importance that we, as the European Union, attach to the entire South Caucasus," McAlister stated.

In this context, the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament emphasized the active mediation efforts of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in the negotiations between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"Within the framework of this initiative, Prime Minister Pashinyan met with the President of Azerbaijan Aliyev in Brussels in April and May," McAlister reminded, adding: "We hope that the contribution of the European Union will be useful in solving long-standing problems and paving the way for the establishment of lasting peace."

David McAllister reminded that the European Parliament has expressed its view on the issue with several resolutions adopted. In particular, in May, 2021 the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Armenian prisoners of war, demanding Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians without any preconditions. And on March 10, 2022, adopted a resolution condemning the destruction of the Armenian cultural heritage of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, under the title "Destruction of the cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh".

The delegation led by the Chairman of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, David McAllister, came to Armenia on a regional visit. In Yerevan, the 6 members of the delegation had meetings with the Prime Minister, the President and Vice President of the Parliament, and the Chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Relations Committee, as well as the representatives of all three political parties represented in the National Assembly. Before that, the delegation was in Azerbaijan and Georgia.