State Department: US intends to ensure durable peace between Armenia, Azerbaijan

At a regular briefing, First Deputy Press Secretary of the US State Department Vedant Patel answered journalists' questions regarding the settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Patel was asked to comment on the UN monitoring mission sent to Garabagh, Caliber.Az reports citing the State Department's website.

“What I will say, though, is that the United States is going to continue to play a role in engaging with Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership at the highest levels to pursue a dignified and durable peace.

And you’ve also seen us, over the course of this past week and beyond, reiterate our call for a longer-term, independent, international monitoring mission in Nagorno-Karabakh to provide transparency and reassurances that the rights and securities of ethnic Armenians will be protected, particularly for those who may wish to return, and for the protection of cultural heritage sites, which all, of course, is in line with Azerbaijan’s public statements and their international obligations as well.

So we certainly appreciate that – those comments from the UN spokesperson. But that does not change the United States’ point of view on this. As I just said to Alex, we continue to believe, even in the light of the UN visit, that there is a strong desire and a need for a longer-term, independent international monitoring mission in Nagorno-Karabakh [Garabagh]. We think that that will provide transparency; we think that it will provide the appropriate reassurances for the various rights and securities that we continue to be deeply concerned about,” Patel said.

When asked about the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh, Patel responded as follows: “I, again, would echo what Matt said – of course, that that kind of presence continues to be concerning. But the United States is going to continue to remain focused on engaging with Azerbaijani and Armenian leadership on this, and doing whatever we can to continue to have a dignified and durable peace on this”.