Published November 27,2023
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The US sees a “real opportunity” for peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which might profit the whole area by means of a commerce route, in accordance with a senior US diplomat on Monday.
“We see a real opportunity for Azerbaijan and Armenia to make peace. We’re encouraged that the two sides are speaking with one another directly and with mediators,” Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien informed reporters forward of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s journey to Brussels to attend NATO Foreign Ministers assembly.
“For example, if trade from Central Asia is able to flow through Azerbaijan and Armenia into Türkiye, then it would be a substantial boost for all the countries on that trade route,” mentioned O’Brien. “And we’d welcome the opportunity to be part of that”.
However, he added that if the choice is made “not to pursue that by peaceful means,” the US must use “whatever tools” it may to “avoid having that kind of trade route created.”
“So we’ve been very clear with the parties about what we hope to see and about the consequences of moving forward otherwise,” he mentioned, including that the events expressed an curiosity in concluding a peace settlement “very soon”.
Relations between the 2 former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian army occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally acknowledged as a part of Azerbaijan, and 7 adjoining areas.
Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan throughout a conflict within the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace settlement and in addition opened the door to normalization.
Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh after an “anti-terrorism operation” in September, after which separatist forces within the area surrendered.
Source: www.anews.com.tr