European Council President Michel calls on Azerbaijan to unblock Lachin road - source

BRUSSELS. Aug 23 (Interfax) - European Council President Charles Michel is actively cooperating with the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to improve the situation of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, while also seeking the unblocking of the Lachin road, a source in EU institutions told reporters.

"President Michel has stressed to the Azerbaijani side the urgent necessity to unblock the Lachin road, in compliance with the relevant ICJ [International Court of Justice] decision and in order to prevent a further escalation," the source told the media in Brussels on Wednesday.

Michel pointed at the urgent need to depoliticize humanitarian access by all parties to the process, according to the source. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar and some employees of Michel's office maintained close contacts with Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert, discussing possible options for unblocking the situation, the source said.

Michel "also noted Azerbaijan's willingness to provide humanitarian assistance via other roads, including Aghdam," it said.

Michel called for holding a meeting for Baku-Stepanakert dialogue as soon as possible, the source said.