Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend I.Alizade / A member of Germany's Bundesliega (Parliament), Arnold Vaatz, said on 27 September in Baku that Russia should assist in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
" Russia's assistance in reaching stability in the region is very important," Vaatz said. According to him, Germany recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and supports the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
"We hope that the conflict will be resolved within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan provided that the security of the local residents in the Nagorno-Karabakh will be ensured," he said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries appeared in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are holding peaceful negotiations.