Time has to Come to Draft Peace Agreement in Nagorno-Karabakh Issue: US

Our joint efforts with the European Union and other international partners in the South Caucasus have resulted in progress, but disputes over territory and a need for further meaningful political and economic reforms remain serious obstacles to greater stability, said Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State Philip H. Gordon in his statement Thursday before the Subcommittee on European Affairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“In Georgia, our steadfast engagement and generous assistance have aided in transforming Georgia into an aspiring democracy and important partner to NATO in Afghanistan. Together with our European partners, we will maintain our support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders and will continue to support international efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the dispute over Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” he said.

Gordon mentioned that the US will continue to encourage diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia and increase its engagement through the OSCE Minsk Group in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Elsewhere in the region, we will continue to press for democratic reforms and an opening of the political space such that human rights and fundamental freedoms are fully respected, to encourage normalization between Turkey and Armenia, and to increase our engagement through the Minsk Group with Russia and France to help Armenia and Azerbaijan find a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“In that regard, we strongly believe that the time has come to finalize and endorse the Basic Principles and move to the drafting of a peace agreement. We believe that the United States and Europe must work together to avoid further conflict in Europe and help the countries in the region move towards democracy, peace, and greater prosperity,” he said.