The US Assistant Secretary of State is arriving in the South Caucasus this week
Donfried will be in Baku on June 15-16, where he will meet with President Ilham Aliyev, other government officials and members of civil society
US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Karen Donfried will visit Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia from June 14 to 19. The purpose of the visit is to emphasize the United States’ commitment to peace, democracy and prosperity in the South Caucasus.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the three countries, Donfried will express the United States’ support for the sovereignty and independence of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, and emphasize their right to determine their own path in this direction, the State Department said in a statement.
Strengthening Europe’s energy security…
He also stressed that the United States is ready to help build lasting peace in the South Caucasus, including the development of political, economic and international relations throughout the region.
Donfried will be in Baku on June 15-16, where he will meet with President Ilham Aliyev, other government officials and members of civil society. The Assistant Secretary of State will support diplomatic efforts for lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, thank Azerbaijan for its humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and emphasize partnership in strengthening Europe’s energy security, combating transnational threats, supporting fundamental freedoms, and promoting bilateral trade and investment.
Tbilisi and Yerevan meetings
During her visit to Tbilisi on June 17, Karen Donfried will address the Tbilisi International Women’s Conference organized by President Salome Zurabishvili. He will meet with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, other government officials, opposition figures and civil society representatives to express the Kremlin’s unwarranted war on Ukraine and US support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within Georgia’s internationally recognized borders. The Assistant Secretary will discuss additional US support for the development of democracy and the rule of law in Georgia, economic diversification, and a prosperous future.
During his visit to Yerevan on June 18, the Assistant Secretary of State will meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and other government officials. Karen Donfried will express US support for diplomatic efforts towards lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “It will emphasize our strong partnership based on common values and our mutual commitment to the democratic development of Armenia,” the statement said.
Minsk Group
The United States is one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. However, after Russia launched an attack on Ukraine in late February, there were conflicting reports about the group’s activities, with the United States and other co-chairs claiming that France had cut ties with Russia.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stressed that after the 2020 Karabakh war, this group is no longer needed and the conflict has been resolved. But Armenian officials say they are waiting for the final status of Nagorno-Karabakh to be resolved.
As a result of the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over part of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. According to the agreement between the leadership of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, Russian troops have been deployed in the Lachin corridor (passing through the Lachin region of Azerbaijan) and on the line of contact in Karabakh.
The Karabakh conflict began in 1988. Prior to the 1994 ceasefire agreement, the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and 7 adjacent districts were occupied.
Dr. Karen Donfried