US to work with allies, partners in coming days on international observer mission in Karabakh

WASHINGTON

The US will work with allies and partners in the coming days on an international observer mission in Karabakh, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday.

Matthew Miller told reporters that the US welcomes comments by the government of Azerbaijan “just a little while ago” that it “would welcome such an international monitoring mission.”

“That’s something that the secretary (Antony Blinken) had directly pushed the president (Ilham Aliyev) for. And we’re glad to see his having agreed to it and we will work with our allies and partners in the coming days to flesh out exactly what that mission will look like,” he said.

“Ultimately, what we do want to see is return to the negotiating table, where they can ultimately reach a dignified, lasting peace,” Miller stressed.

On US Agency for International Development (USAID) chief Samantha Power and State Department Acting Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim’s visit to Armenia, Miller said they “stressed a number of things,” which is the “same thing that the secretary stressed in his conversation with President Aliyev yesterday.”

“Number one, we want to see the cease-fire maintained. Number two, we want to see humanitarian needs addressed. That means keeping the Lachin corridor open, it means ensuring that humanitarian supplies can come in, and that it means an international monitoring mission to ensure that humanitarian needs are addressed,” he said.

On Russia’s role in Karabakh, Miller said: “I certainly do not think Russia has played a productive role here in the past week.”​​​​​​​

Last week, in the wake of provocations by Armenian forces in Karabakh, Azerbaijan said it had launched “counterterrorism” activities in the region to uphold a 2020 trilateral peace agreement with Russia and Armenia. After 24 hours, a cease-fire was reached in the region.

Tensions between the two nations, however, continue despite ongoing talks for a long-term peace deal.

Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are set to meet Oct. 5 in the Spanish city of Granada to discuss signing a peace treaty.

• Azerbaijan
• State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller