PM Pashinyan and Chancellor Merz Discuss Bilateral Relations, Regional Issues

YEREVAN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for “further steps” to end the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan when he telephoned Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Wednesday the day after holding talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

According to an official German readout of the call, Merz and Pashinian discussed “the current situation in the Middle East, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and its impact on the South Caucasus.”

“The Chancellor encouraged further steps in the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and emphasized its importance for regional stability,” it said without elaborating.

Pashinian’s office reported, for its part, that the two men spoke about “peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan” and agreed on its importance for “stable and lasting peace in the region.” It also gave no details.

Merz hailed the “historic” Armenian-Azerbaijani peace treaty initialed last August during a joint news conference with Aliyev that followed after their talks in Berlin on Tuesday. He described it as an “opportunity to resolve a conflict that has lasted for decades.”

“Whatever we can do to contribute to this from a German and European perspective, we will do,” added the German leader.