US needs Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement for exports to bypass Russia and China

The US seeks to ensure that countries of Central Asia export not through Russia and China but through alternative roads, including Azerbaijan, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O’Brien said at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“It is a matter for the entire region and Central Asia. All of those countries now export to the world only through China or Russia. For them to have a path out, they need to work through Azerbaijan,” the diplomat said, speaking about the goals of his upcoming trip to Baku.

“One road goes through Georgia to the Black Sea, but another, potentially much larger road, would go through Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey, and in that regard, we need a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” he explained.

O’Brien added that during his June 27 visit, he will convey to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that “it is time to make peace.”