President of the European Council Charles Michel on Saturday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to look for compromise solutions and to avoid risks of escalating tensions.

In separate telephone conversations with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, Michel expressed concerns about the continuous crisis around the Lachin corridor, the recent casualties and sharp increase in tensions on the ground as well as accompanying negative rhetoric.

In follow-up to his latest meetings with the two leaders in Munich last February, Michel raised with them the various topics discussed in the framework of the Brussels process between their first trilateral meeting held on 14 December 2021 and their fourth meeting held on 31 August 2022, according to a press release from his office.

He reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to helping the sides reach a long-awaited normalisation and sustainable peace.

The President of the European Council urged his counterparts to look for compromise solutions and to refrain from any actions that could lead to risks of escalation.

The Lachin corridor is a mountain road that links Armenia and the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan.

According to media reports, the Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijani demonstrators since last December in protest about the issue of alleged illegal mining of natural resources in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Source: Kuwait News Agency