German Ambassador to Azerbaijan explains why he refused to visit occupied territories of Artsakh

News.am, Armenia

Ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan Wolfgang Manig has explained why he refused to visit the occupied territories of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

As reported earlier, the Ambassador’s refusal to visit the occupied territories of Artsakh made Azerbaijan burst into outrage and even led to threats from Azerbaijan.

Turan news agency asked the German Ambassador to comment on this and answer the following two questions: Why didn’t you participate in the diplomats’ trips? What is Germany’s current stance on the situation surrounding the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict?

In response to the first question, the Ambassador said the decision on when and where the Ambassador or employees of the embassy are sent depends on the analysis of all the factors, and what is decisive is whether this will add to the embassy’s mission and if there are security or health risks.

In response to the second question, the Ambassador said the following: “Over the past month, the federal government’s policy on the South Caucasus region was focused on cessation of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, and the aim is to stop the hostilities and start reconciliation between the Azerbaijanis and Armenians.”

The Ambassador stressed his personal involvement in the talks with his colleagues in both Azerbaijan and Armenia and added that the embassies in Baku and Yerevan are working in this direction.

“We call on both sides to resume negotiations under the auspices of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for a sustainable settlement of the conflict,” he said, Turan reports.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS