President Serzh Sargsyan met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of FRG Frank-Walter Steinmeier

President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in Germany on official visit, met today with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, OSCE Chairman-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Noting that his visit to Germany is taking place in the period when Azerbaijan has seriously challenged security of Nagorno Karabakh as well as of Armenia, the President of Armenia spoke in detail about the existing tense situation, which resulted from the violation by Azerbaijan of the ceasefire and unprecedented escalation of the situation, and the latest developments.

“The very fact that at this difficult moment I am here is more than just a testimony to the importance which Armenia attaches to the bilateral relations as well as to Germany’s role as the country presiding in the OSCE,” said the President of Armenia. He underscored that since the OSCE Co-Chairs are entrusted with the resolution of the NK problem, expectations from the OSCE are great. The President said that steps aimed at the establishment of peace are anticipated, and after the re-establishment of the ceasefire regime of 1994 it will be necessary to implement mechanisms which are aimed at the strict adherence to its terms.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany reiterated his appeal to the parties of the conflict regarding the situation and underscored once again that the NK conflict has no military solution; the parties must manifest political will and return to the negotiations conducted in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Minister Steinmeier stressed the importance of the implementation in the area of the conflict of the confidence building measures as well as the resumption of the monitoring in the Line of Contact by the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman—in-Office.

At the meeting, the parties stressed also the importance of the establishment of the mechanisms for the investigation of the ceasefire violations. With this regard, President Sargsyan viewed as important the extension of the mandate of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman—in-Office and amplification of the capacities of his Office.

The President of Armenia and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany discussed the dynamically developing agenda of the interstate bilateral relations, and preset opportunities for developing cooperation in a number of areas.