Baerbock calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to hold talks
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to return to the negotiating table in order to find a political solution to their conflict, which has been going on for more than 30 years. The mediation efforts of EU Council President Charles Michel "are a bridge that can show the fastest way to peace", said the Green politician on Friday after a meeting with her Armenian colleague Ararat Mirsojan in the capital Yerevan. "That is why it is so important that a new round of negotiations can take place as soon as possible," she added.
With regard to the situation in the conflict region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Mirzoyan said that Azerbaijan had broken its promise not to engage in hostilities. "Armenia has the will to take the path of peace in the region," he said, according to the translation. It is about recognizing the territorial sovereignty of both countries. Armenia could become "a crossroads for peace in the region", not only for its neighboring countries, but for the whole world.
Nagorno-Karabakh is located on Azerbaijani territory, but was inhabited by a majority of Armenians. The region broke away from Baku in the 1990s in a bloody civil war with the help of Yerevan. The Azerbaijani army forced the surrender of the local army in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians have fled the region.
Germany increases humanitarian aid
Baerbock said that Germany had provided 22 million euros in humanitarian aid since 2021. "Today, we as the Federal Republic of Germany are adding a further 9.3 million euros for humanitarian aid." This means that those refugees who need help the most can be provided for quickly. "That gives people hope and brings back a little bit of normality for them together."
Baerbock wants to offer alternatives to Moscow and Tehran
For Baerbock, Yerevan and Baku are also about making offers to both countries for even closer cooperation, for example in the economic and scientific sectors. The aim is to open up alternatives to cooperation with Russia or Iran, for example.
Baerbock announced an expansion of cooperation in the areas of the rule of law, cultural exchange and the economy and energy in order to strengthen the country's resilience. For example, the planned submarine data cable through the Black Sea as part of the EU's Global Gateway program could bring Armenia and Azerbaijan closer to each other and to Europe. The European Investment Bank is prepared to cover almost half of the total costs of 45 million euros.
The "Global Gateway" initiative plans to invest up to 300 billion euros in the infrastructure of emerging and developing countries - also to secure more global influence for the EU. On Saturday, the Foreign Minister is scheduled to hold talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in the capital Baku.
In the evening (local time), Baerbock met with the Armenian head of government Nikol Pashinyan. In September, Pashinyan had expressed his disappointment with Russia as the protecting power. The Russian soldiers had not protected the Karabakh Armenians as agreed in 2020.
Visit to the Armenian peacekeeping brigade
At the headquarters of the Armenian peacekeeping brigade, Baerbock was informed about the peacekeeping work of the soldiers. Armenian military observers are also regularly trained by the Bundeswehr in Germany. The unit is currently also providing personnel for the international peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
Commemoration of the victims of the Armenian genocide
Baerbock laid a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the Armenian genocide in the First World War. During the First World War, Armenians were systematically persecuted in the Ottoman Empire and also sent on death marches into the Syrian desert. Historians speak of up to 1.5 million victims in 1915 and 1916. In 2016, the Bundestag passed a resolution classifying the atrocities committed against the Armenians 100 years ago as "genocide".
- The Federal Government of Germany encourages diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-standing conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan internationally, recognizing the importance of peaceful negotiations in preserving territorial sovereignty for both nations and promoting regional peace.
- In view of the ongoing tensions, it is essential for Armenia and Azerbaijan to utilize the cooperation opportunities offered by the Federal Government and the EU, including economic, scientific, and rule-of-law partnerships, to potentially identify alternatives to existing relationships with Russia and Iran and foster closer ties with the EU.
Source: www.dpa.com
