Berlin is concerned over signs of a renewed escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, German Foreign Ministry Spokesman Martin Schaefer said May 6, RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Germany is greatly concerned regarding the evidence pointing to a new escalation, including a military one, between the parties to the conflict on the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh, he said. As the OSCE chairing country, Germany strongly urges both parties to take all steps to avoid a new escalation, Schaefer said.
Schaefer added that Berlin supports the work of the OSCE Minsk Group and its three co-chairs in their efforts to resolve the conflict.
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.