Berlin Regrets Baku's Decision To Ban German Lawmaker From Entering Azerbaijan - Spokesman

Berlin regrets Azerbaijan's decision to ban German parliamentarian Albert Weiler from entering the country, spokesman for the German government Steffen Seibert said on Tuesday, adding that Chancellor Angela Merkel would address this issue during her upcoming visit to Baku.

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2018) Berlin regrets Azerbaijan's decision to ban German parliamentarian Albert Weiler from entering the country, spokesman for the German government Steffen Seibert said on Tuesday, adding that Chancellor Angela Merkel would address this issue during her upcoming visit to Baku.

Earlier, media reported that Weiler, a member of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and deputy chairman of German parliamentary group for relations with Southern Caucasus states, was banned from entering Azerbaijan due to his visits to the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2014 and 2016. According to media reports, Weiler was set to be part of the German delegation accompanying Merkel during her visit to Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan on August 23-25.

"From the German government's point of view, the Azerbaijani government's position causes regret and is not on par with the level of the dialogue on the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The chancellor is willing to discuss this with [Azerbaijani] President [Ilham] Aliyev," Seibert told reporters.

Seibert added that the Azerbaijani government refused to change its decision, even though "a series of talks" had been held.

"The chancellor has talked to parliament member Weiler; she appreciates his work in the South Caucasus region ... She agreed that ... it was important and it made sense to visit Azerbaijan, including for the purpose of discussing this, as well as other conflicts and problems in the region, with the Azerbaijani government," Seibert said.

According to Seibert, Weiler will accompany Merkel during her trips to Georgia and Armenia.

In 1991, the predominantly Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh proclaimed independence from Azerbaijan and the creation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, resulting in a military conflict. Germany is a permanent member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Minsk Group that monitors the situation in the region.