Response to the Address by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Ararat Mirzoyan
As delivered by Chargé d’Affaires Katherine Brucker
to the Special Permanent Council, Vienna
July 20, 2023
Foreign Minister Mirzoyan, welcome back to the Permanent Council at this critical time for your country and your region. The United States welcomes the continued high-level meetings between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the most recent trilateral meeting in Brussels on July 15 and the June 27-29 meeting of the foreign ministers in Washington.
To quote Secretary of State Blinken, “peace is achievable in the South Caucasus.” Peace, dialogue, and the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, eschewing force or the threat of force – principles that are set forth in the Helsinki Final Act – remain the only way forward. We welcome your active support towards this goal. We continue to believe efforts to reach a durable and dignified peace agreement, normalize relations, delimit and demarcate borders, open transportation and communication links, and ensure the rights and security of all residents in the Nagorno-Karabakh region are in the best interest of all stakeholders.
The United States recognizes ongoing tensions on the ground, including Azerbaijan’s recent closure of the Lachin corridor to all but some limited humanitarian traffic which threatens to worsen the humanitarian situation for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Cross-border incidents also threaten the momentum you have already worked hard to achieve. We again urge the sides to refrain from provocative, threatening, or hostile actions or rhetoric.
The OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security, anchored in our principles and commitments, can enable the prosperity and security in both Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of and following a comprehensive peace agreement.
We appreciate your assistance in helping to reach consensus on a budget that will allow the OSCE to continue deploying its tools and implementing projects for the good of participating States.
Mr. Minister, the United States is committed to working with Armenia and Azerbaijan, bilaterally, multilaterally, and through partners to reach a durable and dignified peace.
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