Germany is ready to contribute to a speedy and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, read the message of German President Joachim Gauck to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in connection with Armenia Independence Day, RIA Novosti reported.
Gauck said that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is of great importance.
As a country that currently chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Germany wants to help achieve a speedy and peaceful resolution of the conflict, said Gauck.
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.