The European Union welcomes the joint ministerial statement by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries of 3 December. This statement, issued on the occasion of the Ministerial Council meeting in Tirana, attests to the shared views and joint action of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the search for a negotiated, comprehensive and lasting political settlement of all outstanding substantive issues.
As it has just noted in response to the address by the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross and as it has had the opportunity to point out at previous meetings of the Permanent Council, the European Union attaches particular importance to ensuring that access for the humanitarian assistance being deployed is guaranteed by the parties. The European Union recalls that it and its Member States are providing substantial humanitarian aid to meet the immediate needs of the civilian populations affected by the conflict.
In conclusion, the European Union believes that renewed efforts are needed for a negotiated, lasting and comprehensive solution to the conflict, including the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. It reiterates its full support for the international format of the Minsk Group chaired by its Co-Chairs to pursue this objective. It stands ready to contribute to the establishment of a lasting and comprehensive settlement of the conflict, including through the implementation of confidence-building measures.
The European Union also reaffirms its support for the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office and, for its part, remains fully committed to the efforts to achieve lasting peace and prosperous development in the region.
The candidate countries the Republic of North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia* and Albania*, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the European Free Trade Association countries and members of the European Economic Area Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as Andorra and San Marino, align themselves with this statement.
* The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.