Azernews.Az

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Rubin has said during his talks in Baku that Washington would increase its attention to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh this year.

In a meeting with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev on Wednesday, Rubin said ensuring Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity to restore peace in the region meets US interests, according to Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry.

Abiyev, for his part, said the stalled process of Karabakh settlement and its deliberate delays are providing conditions for the eruption of a new war in the region.

"The [mediating OSCE] Minsk Group should therefore step up its work to prevent the situation reaching a boiling point," the minister said.

During his talks with President Ilham Aliyev, Rubin said he was visiting Azerbaijan on instructions from the US president and secretary of state. The parties discussed the development of US-Azerbaijan relations and expressed hope that they would expand in 2012, according to the Azerbaijani president’s press-service.

Rubin’s talks with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov centered on the situation in the South Caucasus and Middle East regions, as well as energy cooperation.

Rubin praised Azerbaijan’s contribution to promoting international peace.

Mammadyarov stressed the high pace of development of US-Azerbaijan relations and pointed to the importance of further expanding bilateral cooperation in a variety of fields.

Rubin also held a meeting with Azerbaijani opposition leaders – the heads of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, Musavat and Umid (Hope) Party, as well as a co-chair of REAL movement.

Musavat leader Isa Gambar told Radio Liberty that discussions covered a number of issues, including social and political situation in Azerbaijan and "processes of concern". Also discussed with the State Department official were resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh and regional issues.

"The issue that we focused on the most pertained to prisoners of conscience," Gambar said. "I think our conversation was interesting and useful."

According to a source from the REAL movement, its co-chair, Ilgar Mammadov, sought to discuss preparations for the 2013 presidential election in Azerbaijan, but Rubin said the US stance on the issue would be determined later this year.

A career diplomat, Rubin succeeded Tina Kaidanow, who was appointed as First Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs. His responsibilities cover the South Caucasus countries, Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus.

This story is published by AzerNEWS Weekly under a project funded by the Foundation for State Assistance to the Development of the Media under the President of the Azerbaijan Republic.