01:54Germany: Steinmeier and Azeri FM talk Nagorno-Karabakh, bilateral ties
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held a joint press conference with his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov following their meeting in Berlin, Wednesday. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as bilateral relations topped the agenda of the meeting.
Discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Steinmeier said: "We have noticed that the situation has escalated during the latest months and weeks in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The latest events and unfortunately the number of victims have shown that the status quo is not sustainable."
"We have to discuss again the possibilities for a political solution. But before we return to talks, I believe that the most important thing we have to do is to maintain a ceasefire," he added.
Commenting on bilateral economic relations, Mammadyarov said that the share of German-Azeri trade turnover accounts for 80 percent of Germany's total trade with South Caucasus countries. He also noted that both countries have a lot of joint projects such as the South Caucasus Pipeline - a transit corridor for gas and oil from the Caspian Basin to Europe.
01:54German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held a joint press conference with his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov following their meeting in Berlin, Wednesday. The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh as well as bilateral relations topped the agenda of the meeting.
Discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Steinmeier said: "We have noticed that the situation has escalated during the latest months and weeks in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The latest events and unfortunately the number of victims have shown that the status quo is not sustainable."
"We have to discuss again the possibilities for a political solution. But before we return to talks, I believe that the most important thing we have to do is to maintain a ceasefire," he added.
Commenting on bilateral economic relations, Mammadyarov said that the share of German-Azeri trade turnover accounts for 80 percent of Germany's total trade with South Caucasus countries. He also noted that both countries have a lot of joint projects such as the South Caucasus Pipeline - a transit corridor for gas and oil from the Caspian Basin to Europe.