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BAKU: Germans 'On Azerbaijan's Side' Over Karabakh Settlement

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  • BAKU: Germans 'On Azerbaijan's Side' Over Karabakh Settlement

    GERMANS 'ON AZERBAIJAN'S SIDE' OVER KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

    news.az
    Nov 21 2011
    Azerbaijan

    News.Az interviews German politician Dr Werner Munch, former prime
    minister of Saxony-Anhalt and a former member of the CDU.

    You recently visited Azerbaijan as part of the celebrations of the
    20th anniversary of the republic's independence. As far as I know,
    this was not your first visit here?

    Yes, it was not my first visit to your country; I visited Azerbaijan
    for the first time in 2004 and have paid regular visits here ever
    since. I extend political support to Azerbaijan in its contacts with
    European institutions - the Council of Europe, European Parliament
    and so on. I, as a former premier, have many contacts and certainly
    great political experience.

    What do you think about the prospects for Azerbaijan's development?

    First of all, I would like to say some words about the past. It has
    been 20 years since the development of the independent Azerbaijan
    Republic started and I, as someone who witnessed the past seven
    of these years, can say that the country's development has been
    remarkable, which can be seen in the infrastructure, buildings, roads.

    The country's leadership is right to say that Azerbaijan is a bridge
    between West and East, North and South, a country where different
    religions coexist. The main problem is Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia's
    position. I think we have to find a solution to this big problem.

    Azerbaijan's position on the conflict is fair and I hope that this
    problem will be settled in the near future.

    Why doesn't Europe take an active part in the resolution of the
    problem, when it says that it has major economic interests in
    Azerbaijan?

    The Karabakh conflict is not a problem of economic interests, it is
    primarily a problem of human rights and international law. Certainly,
    there is the Minsk Group, uniting Russia, the United States and
    France, but they have their own differing interests which makes it
    impossible to find an unbiased solution to the conflict. Therefore,
    other influential countries and international institutions and the
    EU should deal closely with the problem settlement.

    The Armenian leadership states that Karabakh will not return to Baku's
    jurisdiction. Can Azerbaijan learn from the experience of Germany,
    which successfully settled the problem of the country's unification
    more than 20 years ago?

    I think on Germany's example, we had quite a similar situation,
    when Germany was divided into the FRG and GDR. And most German
    politicians before Germany's unification said that this unification
    was impossible. But there were people who insisted on the resolution
    of the problem and believed that it would happen. It happened in 1990,
    when the democratic part of the country united with the part ruled
    by communist dictatorship.

    I am sure that Azerbaijan will also have this chance for unification
    of its land. You have so many refugees and they have the complete
    right to return home. Therefore, I believe that the Germans are very
    good friends of Azerbaijan, which is why they understand your problem
    and are 100% on your side.

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