Annalena Baerbock: Germany and EU are ready to support Yerevan and  Baku with concrete offers

ArmInfo."Germany and the EU wanted to work alongside countries in the southern Caucasus to "build  a region that overcomes the shadows of the past" and looks towards a better future for the region's population." Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany  Annalena Baerbock  stated on November 3 before the start of her two-day visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Recalling the many simmering conflicts near Europe, Annalena Baerbock   noted that many residents of the South Caucasus fear that the region  will not be able to find peace after decades of hostilities and  recent violent clashes.

"Less than two months ago, more than 100,000 children, women and men  from Nagorno-Karabakh were so afraid that they saw no choice but to  leave their homeland in search of safety. Armenia has made enormous  efforts to accept refugees. This is only the latest chapter in a  painful story for the peoples of the region, for the Armenians and  Azerbaijanis. More than 30 years of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh  have left huge wounds on both sides. The wounds are incredibly deep,  but which can heal in the long term," she noted.

According to her, it is now important "that everyone who holds the  keys to peace overcome themselves and take the path of mutual trust."  According to her, she will contribute to this during her visit to  Yerevan and Baku.

"Germany and the EU want to contribute to this. We are united by the  goal of a lasting peaceful and secure future for Armenians and  Azerbaijanis.

On this path, Germany and the EU as a whole are ready to support  Yerevan and Baku with concrete offers," the diplomat continued.

According to her, one of them is the planned submarine communications  cable through the Black Sea  within the framework of the EU Global  Gateway program. According to Berbock, participation in this project  could bring Armenia and Azerbaijan closer to each other, as well as  to Europe. She also noted that "half of the cost of construction of  EUR45 million ($48 million) would be funded by the EU Global Gateway  initiative, which aims to expand the bloc's global influence through  infrastructure investment".

"Together with the countries of the South Caucasus, we want to "build  a region that overcomes the shadows of the past" and looks towards a  better future for the region's population," she concluded.

The Global Gateway initiative envisages investments of up to EUR300  billion in infrastructure in developing countries and countries with  economies in transition. One of the goals of this program is to  strengthen the EU's global influence.