From 29 March to 2 April, Minister of State Gernot Erler will travel to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan to obtain first-hand information on the current political situation on the ground and to discuss matters relating to regional conflict settlement.

The talks will focus on domestic developments in Armenia as well as the Eastern Partnership, rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey and relations with neighbouring Azerbaijan against the background of the still-unresolved conflict surrounding Nagorny Karabakh.

In Erevan, Mr Erler will meet the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, the President of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan and other representatives of the governing party. Moreover, a meeting is scheduled with former President Levon Ter-Petrossian as well as deputies of the opposition party “Heritage” and representatives of Armenia's civil society.

In Tbilisi, Minister of State Erler and Prime Minister Baramidse will jointly open the Georgian-German intergovernmental consultations.

On 1 April in Baku, Mr Erler will open an international conference of archaeologists focusing on the topic of Azerbaijan as a gateway between East and West. The conference will also be attended by German archaeologists. Moreover, he will conduct political talks with members of the government and of civil society. Here again, the Nagorny Karabakh conflict and domestic issues will be to the fore.

Mr Erler's stay in Baku will close with the inauguration of the 18th Intermediate School in Baku as a German partner school within the framework of the initiative “Schools – Partners for the Future”. Worldwide, more than 1000 already belong to this initiative.

Read more on Germany's bilateral relations to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan: