Azernews.Az

BAKU – The newly appointed US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza has said seeking a peaceful and fair settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh will be a priority during his tenure.

Bryza said at an event organized by the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce (USACC) shortly before leaving for Azerbaijan that he was focused on furthering the ties between the two countries. He said Azerbaijan offers a wide array of cooperation opportunities well beyond the oil and gas sector for which it is already known around the world, the USACC website reported.

The reception, held in the USACC office in Georgetown, was joined by the chamber’s representatives, Bryza’s family members, as well as staff of the Azerbaijani embassy in Washington.

Bryza’s appointment, which had been stalled in the Senate for months, was welcomed by Baku. But the so-called recess appointment is temporary, lasting only until the end of the next session of Congress, which is due in November or December.

Bryza served as deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and represented the U.S. on the OSCE-brokered talks on settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 due to Armenia’s territorial claims. The two countries fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994. About 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, is under the occupation of the Armenian armed forces. Peace talks brokered by US, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.