BERLIN
Berlin apologizes to Baku over Karabakh post
Germany has issued an apology to Azerbaijan after President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s social media account displayed a flag associated with former separatists in Karabakh.
Dörte Dinger from the German presidential office sent a letter to Hikmet Hajiyev, the advisor to Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev, regarding the Instagram post shared ahead of Steinmeier’s visit to Armenia.
Dinger clarified that the post was only visible for a short period before being removed as soon as the mistake was noticed.
"This post was published due to a technical error and has no connection to Germany’s well-known position on Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. I deeply regret this mistake and sincerely apologize for any false impression it may have created in Azerbaijan," Dinger stated.
She emphasized that Steinmeier’s upcoming visit to Azerbaijan aims to strengthen the Azerbaijan-Germany partnership and support the ongoing peace process in the region.
Following the controversial post, Azerbaijan summoned Germany’s ambassador in Baku and demanded an official apology.
Steinmeier, who is currently visiting Armenia, is scheduled to hold talks in Azerbaijan next.
Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan date back to 1991, when Armenian forces illegally occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, along with seven surrounding regions.
Azerbaijan reclaimed most of the territory in a 44-day war in 2020, ending with a Russian-brokered ceasefire. In September 2023, Azerbaijan fully restored its sovereignty over Karabakh after the remaining separatist forces surrendered.
After years of stalled negotiations, both sides announced last month that they had finalized the text of a comprehensive peace agreement and were ready to sign it.