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Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs more attention of EU, Germany

29 October 2014 18:17 (UTC+04:00)
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs more attention of EU, Germany

By Sara Rajabova

The recent aggression of Armenia clearly shows that there is an urgent need for Germany and the European Union to get more involved in the settlement process of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Richard Kiessler, a publicist, Editor in Chief (ret.), Consultant on Public Affairs, chairman of the curatorship of the German-Azerbaijan-Forum, made the remark in an interview with Day.Az website.

Touching upon German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier's recent visit to South Caucasus region, Kiessler said the visit is a clear signal for the importance that Germany attaches to the South Caucasus.

During his visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia, which started on October 23, Steinmeier discussed the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, along with the other issues.

"In the light of the Ukraine conflict, the European Union should pay more attention to this "frozen conflict". In fact, it is much more than "frozen": The recent aggression of Armenia clearly demonstrates that there is an urgent need for Germany and the EU to get more involved in the issue. And I think there is a changing attitude in Berlin to take more responsibility. In this regard, Foreign Minister Steinmeier is preparing the ground for the forthcoming visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel," Kiessler said.

He noted that Germany is in favor of a peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which emerged in 1988 over Armenia's territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

"The German position is very clear: Mountainous Karabakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and the other territories are illegally occupied by the Armenians supported by Russia. I am in favor of a new initiative of the Minsk process to strengthen Azerbaijan's position which was supported by the resolutions of the UN and the Europeans," Kiessler said.

He considered that the new actors are needed in the Minsk Process and "Germany as a key member of the EU should be ready to play a more important part."

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council's four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal have not been enforced to this day.

Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.

Speaking about the Azerbaijani-German relations, he said Azerbaijan is the preferred partner of Germany in the region - for economic and political reasons.

"There are certainly some problems in our relationship regarding for example the human rights. But on the other hand I think Azerbaijan is on the right track in developing the country. In Georgia we have seen the change of government as a democratic process we are supporting. And there is a deep disappointment on Armenia which is a satellite of Russia," Kiessler said.

Noting that Azerbaijan is an important part of Europe, Kiessler noted that "after all the recent events and disappointments we had with Armenia we should strengthen the ties with our partner Azerbaijan."

He added that there is a German-Azerbaijan forum in Berlin with some prominent personalities from both countries who are supporting Azerbaijan's civil society in the political, economical and cultural fields.

Kiessler further noted that Germany fully supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and all the other countries in the region.

"The Ukraine crisis shows clearly the concerns of many independent countries of the former Soviet Union. I am just in Kazakhstan, talking to high ranking officials. But even in the streets here you are confronting with the concerns to keep the national sovereignty alive. The same impression I got some weeks ago in Georgia. Therefore it should be a common task of all EU-states to strengthen the support for territorial integrity of all independent countries in the region," Kiessler said.

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