U.S. says conflict complicates its ties with Azerbaijan, Armenia
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh complicates the United States’ relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia, a top Pentagon official has said.
"The Pentagon cannot neglect the fact that the Nagorno Karabakh settlement issue is crucial both for Azerbaijan and Armenia and creates major roadblocks in US relations with the two countries," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Celeste Wallander told Radio Liberty's Armenian Service.
She said the Department of Defense would be focusing on areas where it can provide "constructive and useful" assistance to the conflict parties, which would allow Baku and Yerevan to increase their contribution to strengthening international security.
The Karabakh conflict flared up in the late 1980s due to Armenia's territorial claims. Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno Karabakh, since the two countries signed a precarious cease-fire in 1994 following a lengthy war. Mediators from Russia, the United States and France have led negotiations on Karabakh settlement but little progress has been made so far.
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