YEREVAN. – Both parties to the Karabakh conflict need to come to the table and negotiate, member of the European Parliament said in Yerevan.

David McAllister, Chairman of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, said first the ceasefire must be respected and the confrontational rhetoric needs to stop. 

“We need to find a solution to the Karabakh conflict. I said it before and I will say it again – there is no military solution to this conflict. The status quo is unacceptable for the populations suffering on both sides,” he said.

Asked about the recent reports on Azerbaijan’s mobilization of troops on the line of contact and the risk of escalation, member of the delegation Sajjad Karim said this is a matter of concern.

“The EU urges the parties to move to the final agreement and, in particular, to avoid anything that could detract from the potential new avenues that exist, bearing in mind changing circumstances,” he added.