Washington is ready to render technical assistance in demarcation of Azerbaijani-Armenian border, U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker said during his visit to Baku on June 8.
Commenting on June 4 killing of two Azerbaijani journalists and a local official in Armenian-planted mine blast in Kalbajar, Reeker said “it is necessary to give all minefields maps.”
“It is a tragedy that people are killed as the result of the mine explosion,” US Assistant Secretary of State stressed.
Over 20 Azerbaijani citizens, including 14 civilians have been killed and more than 85 injured in mine explosions in and around Nagorno-Karabakh since Azerbaijan regained control over its territories in last year’s war.
The US official expressed concern over possible deterioration of the situation in the region and urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the border peacefully as soon as possible.
“We call on the parties to return to the substantive negotiations under the chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group,” Reeker said.
Azerbaijan strong US partner
Furthermore, Reeker stressed that the US attaches great importance to the bilateral relations during the meeting with Foreign Ministry Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on June 9
He expressed US regional interests and desire to be helpful in addressing the existing challenges in the region.
In turn, Bayramov said that the ties between Baku and Washington are of strategic nature, adding that the mutual visits of the two countries’ officials contribute to the development of these relations.
The US seems to have increased its presence in the South Caucasus region since Joe Biden’s election last year.
On May 24, Biden sent a letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to congratulate him on the Republic Day and to express Washington’s commitment to help Baku and Yerevan to negotiate over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
He also praised Azerbaijan’s role in contributing to Europe’s energy security.
A few days before Biden’s statement, Aliyev expressed his country’s interest in military cooperation with the US, adding that Azerbaijan, as a strategic partner, is ready for an active work and the expansion of cooperation.
The strengthening of Baku-Washington ties was also discussed during the phone called between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Aliyev in late April. Blinken reminded during the conversation that the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, that bans direct US aid to Azerbaijan, was extended this year too.
