US State Department has answered VOA Armenian Service’s questions on Nagorno-Karabakh settlemtn process

The Armenian Service of the Voice of America has addresses a number of questions to U.S. State Department regarding the rejection by the U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan to participate in a Baku initiative and the discussion of the Karabakh issue with the French foreign minister.

Recently, Baku had organized a visit of a group of ambassadors and diplomats accredited to Azerbaijan to the Nagorno-Karabakh regions now under Azerbaijani control. In response to a question from VOA Armenian Service as to why the U.S. ambassador refused to participate in that visit and whether there was any agreement between the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to reject the invitation, the US State Department press service said that it did not comment on the details of the ambassador’s schedule or reasons. They also refused to comment on the similar rejection by the French or Russian ambassadors.

In connection with the recent meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and French Foreign Minister Le Drian in Washington, DC, the State Department pointed to the statement made by the French side, according to which French and U.S. foreign ministers had discussed joint actions that achieve lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We are deeply concerned about the impact of the resumption of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan last autumn, and are well aware of the humanitarian needs in the region,” they added.

The State Department also expressed its support for a peaceful settlement under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, underscoring that the United States supports the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, is committed to assisting the parties in achieving a lasting settlement of the conflict on the principles of territorial integrity, equal rights and the right of peoples to self-determination.”