In the region, which has been contested since the end of September, Christians and Islamist fighters supported by Turkey face each other after Christians and Muslims lived together peacefully for a long time. Is the conflict now religiously charged?
Both countries would have confidence in Germany; therefore it has the opportunity to invite to peace talks, said the Cologne lawyer and representative of the diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany, Ilias Uyar, on Tuesday before the federal press conference in Berlin. In his view, a Bundestag resolution condemning Turkey’s intervention in the conflict, as well as logistical and humanitarian support, would also be helpful.
Fighting since late September
Representatives of the Armenian Church and civil society in Germany have called on the Bundestag and the Federal Government to work towards a settlement of the conflict. Most of the Armenians live in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the South Caucasus. Under international law, the area belongs to Azerbaijan, to which it was merged in the time of the former Soviet Union. Armenia supports the “Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh”, which was proclaimed in 1991 and is not recognized internationally, and Turkey stands on the side of Azerbaijan.
The current fighting began on September 27 and is the worst since the 1991-1994 war that killed around 30,000 people. A ceasefire agreed on Sunday is fragile.
Central Council of Armenians calls for economic sanctions
The Armenian ambassador to Germany, Ashot Smbatyan, as well as representatives of Armenian organizations advocated a stronger role for Germany in resolving the conflict. Smbatyan called on the German government to clearly state Azerbaijan’s responsibility and Turkey’s negative role.
Antranig Aznavour from the Central Council of Armenians in Germany called for economic sanctions and an arms embargo for the two states. The president of the Armenian welfare organization AGBU Germany, Georgi Ambarzumjan, stated that it was incorrect to assign Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan under international law. Smbatyan called the area a “de facto state”.
Armenian Bishop: No conflict between Christians and Muslims
The Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany, Bishop Serovpe Isakhanyan, stressed that there was no religious conflict between Christian Armenians and Muslim Azerbaijanis. Both religions have coexisted peacefully in the region for centuries.
Referring to the “targeted” bombing of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the city of Shushi, which is a landmark in Nagorno-Karabakh, by Azerbaijani troops on October 8, the bishop added that efforts were apparently being made to charge the conflict religiously. For example, Turkey brought Islamist fighters to the region.
Prayers for peace for Nagorno-Karabakh
According to Isakhanyan, daily prayers for peace for Nagorno-Karabakh have been taking place in the 16 Armenian parishes in Germany since September 27th. The bishop emphasized that there is no just war and no alternative to peace. However, people whose existence is threatened have the right to defend themselves against attacks. According to Ambarzumjan, up to 100,000 people of Armenian origin live in Germany.
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