James O’Brien: The US stopped providing aid to Azerbaijan and canceled a number of high-level visits

On the instructions of the US Secretary of State, we are preparing a comprehensive and transparent report on what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh not only these days, but also in the previous months, James O’Brien, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said at the hearing on Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday.

“We have commissioned independent investigators, we have our own investigators working on the ground. There is information available from international non-governmental organizations and other investigators. And as we develop the record of what happened, we will be completely open about what we are finding. I can’t put a timeline on this investigation, but we will inform you as we go forward.

The second thing we are working on is support for Armenia. I am very impressed by the Armenian government’s commitment to reforms and diversifying relationships that it has – economic, political, energy and security – particularly in the Trans-Atlantic community. And I think we owe it to the people of Armenia to help them through this difficult situation so that those choices they have made very bravely are able to help them to make them have a more secure, stable and prosperous future,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien stressed that the third thing they are working on is a peace treaty.

“The next two weeks will be critical to checking the parties’ readiness. In negotiations, the most difficult thing is to say ‘yes.’ Since September, there have been 13 high-level visits from the USA to Yerevan and Baku. We are also deeply engaged with our Turkish colleagues as we go forward,” he said.

He emphasized that the United States stopped providing military and other aid to Azerbaijan and canceled a number of high-level visits. Washington sent a message to Azerbaijan that there will be no positive shift in relations until progress is made in the “peace” negotiations with Armenia.

“We have made it clear that after September 19, relations with Azerbaijan cannot continue on a normal course if there is no progress on the path of peace.

We have canceled a number of high-level visits and condemned Azerbaijan’s actions. And we don’t anticipate submitting the 907 waiver until such time as we see a real improvement in the situation. All this is aimed at promoting peace. Why is peace important now? First of all, from an economic point of view. Central Asia is looking for new routes for its goods.

Those ways can also pass through the south, through Armenia. We have said that the use of force is not acceptable, the transit corridor, which will be built with the participation and agreement of Armenia, can cause a huge economic boom for the countries of the region, also in the world markets, which will have access to the goods.

And if the corridor is opened with the use of force or with the participation of Iran, there will be a very strong opposition and it will not succeed. Next is the question of the choice of Armenia and Azerbaijan, what kind of political relations they want to have in the future, do they want to build the future around the axis of Russia-Iran as the main participants in the security of the region? I believe it is unstable and undesirable for both the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan. They now have the opportunity to make a different decision, and now we’re clarifying that for them, and I look forward to our high-level participation in the coming weeks,” O’Brien said.