Germany supports the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means, Michael Kindsgrab, German ambassador to Azerbaijan, told reporters in Baku Oct. 4.

“Germany, currently presiding the OSCE, is a member of the organization’s Minsk Group,” he said, recalling that Frank-Walter Steinmeier, OSCE chairman-in-office, German foreign minister, visited Azerbaijan this summer.

“Of course, Germany is making efforts to resume the negotiation process on the settlement of the conflict,” Kindsgrab said.

“We understand that the status quo is unacceptable in the current situation,” he said. “We are in a constant contact with Azerbaijan and Armenia and we try to involve them in goal-oriented negotiations for the conflict to be resolved and not to flare up again."

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.