European Council President Charles Michel, in a Twitter post yesterday, wrote that direct talks between Baku and Artsakh Armenians is crucial to settle the conflict.

Of note, is that Michel referred to Artsakh as the former NKAO (Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast), terminology that will surely cause concern in Stepanakert.

Dialogue between Baku and Armenians living in former NKAO on their rights & security is now crucial.

Important to refrain from maximalist positions and aim for dialogue. After more than 30 years of conflict, wounds take time to heal. Courageous decisions are needed.@EPCMoldova

— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) May 30, 2023

On May 29, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan, during a parliamentary discussion on this year’s budget, ruled out any signing of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan anytime soon.

Pashinyan said his government has yet to receive any feedback from Baku regarding Yerevan’s treaty proposals recently made in Washington D.C.

Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, EU Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are scheduled to meet in Chisinau (Moldova) on June 1 to hammer out a peace deal.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, on May 28 in the town of Lachin (Berdzor) announced that the demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border should be carried out on Baku's terms. According to Aliyev, this means that the road to Nakhichevan should be opened, and Armenian armed forces should be withdrawn from Nagorno Karabakh.

Aliyev also called for the dissolution of Karabakh’s “separatist” local government

Photo: Armenian Government Press Service