YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. The issues of people displaced from Nagorno Karabakh and the cases of destruction of Armenian cultural heritage are of extreme concern and cannot be justified in any way.

Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker, the chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, stated this during a press conference at the German embassy in Armenia on Tuesday. She noted that it is impossible to imagine similar violations of fundamental human rights in Germany and forced displacement of any ethnic group.

Addressing the crimes committed by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020 and thereafter, Winkelmeier-Becker noted that the International Criminal Court should thoroughly examine all war crimes committed in different parts of the world and make clear assessments and judgments about them, especially since it has specific toolkit.

According to the German lawmaker, it also refers to the return of prisoners of war, which could be a key point for  promoting the peace process, as well as a good basis for reaching a positive milestone as a result of the negotiations.

"We would be pleased if Germany contributes to establishing stability in the South Caucasus; therefore, we are ready to support both sides in advancing the peace agenda and negotiations. At this stage of the peace process, Germany should act as an honest partner and supporter between the conflicting parties, which is in the interests of Armenia," said Chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag.

The German lawmaker noted that the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia had informed the members of the German delegation that one of the important components for the Armenian side is the process of demarcation and delineation between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on Soviet maps.

"We hope that they will serve as the basis for a long-term status quo within the framework of the future agreement. The process of demarcation and delimitation is also at the center of attention of the EU civil mission. We hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will reach a stage where the internationally defined and recognized territory of Armenia will no longer be subject to dispute and will be the basis for stable peace," said Winkelmeier-Becker.

Answering the question why Germany does not impose sanctions on Azerbaijan, the lawmaker noted that sanctions, in general, have limited success and that the application of sanctions at this stage can hinder the effective progress of the peace process.

Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker said that the German delegation had made a joint tour with the representatives of the EU civil mission in Yeraskh and emphasized that the aim of the EU civilian mission is to prevent possible border escalations and to help European partners with fact-finding activities.