US State Department Spokesman Ned Price, during a briefing with journalists, referring to the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov in Georgia and the normalization of relations between the two countries, noted that the US plays an active role in that process.
QUESTION: Thank you, Ned. Two questions on the South Caucasus. Can you please expand on the Secretary’s Saturday tweet on – about Azerbaijan and Armenian foreign ministers meeting in Georgia, which he called a positive step? I understand this was all discussed by, I think, the Assistant Secretary Donfried’s call, during her call to both Baku and Yerevan yesterday. Has the U.S. been seeking some active role in this process? What is your role at this point?
MR PRICE: Well, we have been taking an active role. We’ve consistently said that we are ready and stand ready to engage bilaterally and with likeminded partners, including through our role as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, to help the countries find a long-term, comprehensive peace.
Secretary Blinken had has an opportunity in recent weeks to engage with his foreign ministry – his foreign minister counterparts. Assistant Secretary Donfried, others in this building, have also had an opportunity to engage at high levels with their Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts as well.
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We did welcome the meeting between the representatives. We continue to believe that dialogue is the best means by which to achieve a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region, and we’ll continue to support that in any way we can.