The German-South-Caucasian All-Party-Parliamentary-Group in the German Bundestag (parliament) is deeply concerned about the violent developments in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh that reached a new level of escalation some weeks ago, the parliamentary group said in a statement to The European Azerbaijan Society.

The statement reads as follows:

The current developments have to be put to an end as quickly as possible. Every single exchange of fire, every injury and every human life claimed by this conflict is one too many.

This year, Germany holds the chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). We demand swift action within the scope of the OSCE and the attached Minsk Group to stop these unnecessary casualties. Germany has the big opportunity this year to contribute productively to the de-escalation of the dramatic situation in the conflict region. In a joint press conference with the Armenian president, Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel had emphasized this constructive participation within the framework of the OSCE chairmanship in the settlement of the conflict. As the relevant All-Party-Parliamentary-Group, we support this approach without any doubt.

The UN General Assembly concluded in its’ resolutions (No. 822, 853, 874 and 884) that the current status, which violates international law, has to end. The current situation does not comply with international law and has to be condemned categorically. The All-Party-Parliamentary-Group supports the implementation of these resolutions in order to end the violence in the South Caucasian region. A serious cease-fire is a fundamental requirement to return to the negotiation table.

It has to be noted positively that Azerbaijan ended the military action unilaterally and we hope that this will contribute to a de-escalation of the current situation. The cease-fire has to be kept by both sides now.

The German-South-Caucasian All-Party-Parliamentary-Group engages in talks with both representatives of the conflict parties as well as with international negotiators in order to encourage sustainable peace talks. Besides the cultivation of partnerships with the respective parliaments, the situation regarding Nagorno-Karabakh is a main concern of the All-Party-Parliamentary-Group. We seek to strengthen the process of establishing peaceful conditions. Clearly, this is of exceptional difficulty. However, especially in the light of the OSCE-chairmanship, it is our moral duty to find ways to end this unacceptable state swiftly.