EU has expressed its concern at the slow progress in the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Council of EU said in conclusions on South Caucasus.

“In this regard, the EU continues to supports the OSCE Minsk Group and acknowledges in this context the efforts of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitryi Medvedev to achieve progress in trilateral talks.

The EU reiterates its support for the Madrid principles and calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to step up their efforts to reach agreement on those principles as a basis for peace,” the report says.

At the same time the Council expressed concern over increased tension along the line of contact stressing importance of “urgent steps to implement the ceasefire and to adopt appropriate confidence building measures.”

The Union underlined the need for unconditional access for representatives of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.

“The Council invites the High Representative and the Commission to develop, in close consultation with the OSCE, post conflict scenarios for Nagorno-Karabakh as a basis for future EU engagement,” the statement reads.