German foreign minister to visit Azeri, Armenian capitals

German Foreign Minister Frank‑Walter Steinmeier will arrive in Baku tomorrow for a visit, the Azeri Foreign Ministry said.

No official reason was given for the visit.

According to Deutsche Welle, the German minister will hold talks with Azeri officials on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. He will leave Baku for Yerevan later in the day.

The visit is to demonstrate that the European Union does care about problems in other countries involved in the EU's Eastern Partnership program despite the Ukrainian crisis, Deutsche Welle said.

Backed by Russia, Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in a war after the Soviet breakup in 1991.

Large-scale hostilities ended with a ceasefire three years later but no peace agreement has been signed.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned that it reserves the right to use military force to regain control of its internationally-recognized territory should peace efforts mediated by the US, Russia and France fail.

More than 20 soldiers were confirmed killed in August as skirmishes turned deadliest in the past 20 years.

Bakudaily.Az