Azerbaijan on Monday summoned German ambassador Ralf Horlemann to lodge a strong protest against a recent Instagram post by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, claiming it “violated its territorial integrity.”
This comes after Steinmeier’s official Instagram account shared a post during his visit to Armenia featuring the flag of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Calling the move an “open political provocation,” the Azerbaijani side condemned the post as inconsistent with Germany’s stated support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and as harmful to the ongoing peace process.
“The German side was urged to issue a public apology for this post,” the ministry said.
Baku also criticized the post’s focus on Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, saying it “ignored the rights of over 1 million Azerbaijanis who were forcibly displaced during the decades-long conflict.”
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Armenia on Monday for a two-day visit. He is also expected to visit Azerbaijan.
