Merkel: Germany ready to contribute to settle Karabakh conflict

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Germany is ready to contribute to creation of a favorable atmosphere for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a joint press conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian media reported Aug. 24.

Merkel stressed that Germany is a member of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"We said it would be good to resolve the conflict,” the chancellor said. “But it is important to resolve it in a good atmosphere. Germany is ready to contribute to that.”

“The conflict cannot be resolved without negotiations, and every effort should be made to resolve the conflict,” she added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.