The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is expected to be discussed at the German Bundestag (Parliament) sitting. “We hope the discussions will promote solution to the conflict”, speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Ogtay Asadov stated at the meeting with Steffen Reiche, chief of Germany-South Caucasus Parliamentary Friendship Group of Bundestag, on 22 October.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasia – Azerbaijan and Armenia started in 1988 over territorial claims raised by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Until December 1991, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojaly. But in 1992-93, Shusha, Khojaly and seven surrounding regions of Nagorno-Karabakh were occupied too. 20 % of the Azerbaijan territories are under Armenian occupation now. On May, 1994, the parties signed the ceasefire agreement and hold unsuccessful peace talks with the mediation of the co-chairs to the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the USA till today.
The delegation of Social Democratic Party’s fraction in German Bundestag arrived in Azerbaijan on October 22.
The visit of Steffen Reiche’s delegation aims at expanding inter-parliamentary links between Azerbaijan and Germany. According to Asadov, several fractions in the Bundestag have initiated to hold discussion over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the German Parliament.
“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is expected to be discussed in the German Bundestag with support of several fractions” Asadov added.
The speaker said mutual visits between the parliamentarians of two countries positively influence the development of cooperation. “Azerbaijan pays great attention to the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation with Germany”, Asadov stated.
Trend
