Germany comes out in support of Armenia’s reform process

BERLIN (AA) - Germany's chancellor on Thursday declared Berlin's support for Armenia's reform process.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised the South Caucasus nation's reform efforts to bring it closer to the EU.

"We are working closely with Armenia within the framework of European Union's Eastern Partnership. And we're also supporting Armenia's reform efforts within this framework," he said.

Scholz said that during their meeting, they also discussed regional security issues and the latest developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan freed from nearly three decades of Armenian occupation in 2020.

The German chancellor reiterated Berlin's position that a peaceful solution to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over that region could be found on the principles of territorial integrity and the right to self-determination.

Scholz said recent meetings between Pashinyan and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev in Prague and Munich were "encouraging steps" to de-escalate tensions and work towards a political solution.

Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, during 44 days of heavy fighting, Azerbaijan liberated a significant part of Karabakh, and a Russian-brokered peace agreement was subsequently signed.

The peace agreement has not, however, ended conflict along the border and other disputes between the two countries.