Efforts to resurrect OSCE Minsk Group may exclude US from Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process - spokesperson
By Vugar Khalilov
The resurrection efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group may lead to the alienation of the US from the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, Azernews reports, citing Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva.
Abdullayeva made the remarks in response to US State Secretary Anthony Blinken’s press statement on the appointment of Philip Reeker to the post of Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations.
“Attempts to `resuscitate' the de-facto non-functioning Minsk Group may result the USA to be estranged from the process of normalization of the Azerbaijani-Armenian relations,” Abdullayeva stressed.
The spokeswoman described the press statement as “surprising” and “an approach far from the post-conflict reality in the region”.
According to the diplomat, Azerbaijan's position on the Minsk Group has been consistently and unequivocally stated at the highest level.
“The Karabakh conflict has been resolved and Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan. The international community, including our partners, should understand that connecting negotiation on the normalization of the Azerbaijani-Armenian relations with the Karabakh issue does not serve normalization at all,” Abdullayeva emphasized.
“I have appointed Ambassador Philip Reeker as Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations and Minsk Group Co-Chair. Ambassador Reeker’s appointment reaffirms our commitment to peaceful resolution of conflicts in the South Caucasus,” Blinken wrote on his Twitter account.
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