MEP Charles Tannock asks Federica Mogherini about ceasefire violations

Dr Charles Tannock, ECR group coordinator in the Foreign Affairs committee of the European Parliament, has tabled a priority question to the High Representative and Vice-president of the European Commission about the recent military escalation in the South Caucasus.  The violence has resulted in the death of three Armenian civilians and has since extended to the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact, killing soldiers from both sides.

Dr Tannock, who is a member of the European Friends of Armenia’s Advisory Council, underlined the importance of the renewed proposal of the OSCE Minsk Group issued on 26 September. This consists of establishing an OSCE mechanism to identify ceasefire violations on the line of contact. He considers this initiative key to clearly identify which side breaches the truce established back in 1994.

The EU foreign policy chief was asked by Charles Tannock to support and react on this proposal from the OSCE Minsk Group. He also enquired about the involvement of Mr. Herbert Salber, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia in this matter.

Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa, director of European Friends of Armenia welcomes this initiative by Mr Tannock.

“I am glad to see Charles Tannock’s initiative and I believe the European Union can have a positive impact by supporting the OSCE Minsk group which plays a pivotal role in bringing this conflict to a peaceful end’

Once the question reaches the External Action Service it will be answer in the three weeks delay.