ArmInfo.The United States continues to work to collect facts in connection with what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh. The information received has not yet become a report, so there is nothing to report yet. US Ambassador to Armenia Kristina Kvien stated this in an interview with the RFE/RL's Armenian Service when asked to tell whether the fact-finding report on Artsakh, which the State Department promised to prepare, is ready.
At the same time, she noted that the United States provides support to those deported from Nagorno- Karabakh. "We were very concerned about the safety and well-being of the people forced to flee Nagorno- Karabakh into Armenia. And personally, I am very impressed by the incredible support that the population of Nagorno-Karabakh has received from the people of Armenia as a whole, and also, obviously, from the government of Armenia. I have traveled all over Armenia and since September have always talked with deportees from Nagorno-Karabakh to find out what their needs are and then report on this," the Ambassador said.
In this vein, she recalled that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a meeting in Brussels that since September Washington has allocated about $7.5 million to support deportees and is considering a number of steps.
"Firstly, it's psychological-social support. We're also trying to support the younger generation. I've met several young refugees who said they'd really like to learn English, and we're trying to take advantage of some of the resources of our very active and generous Diaspora in the United States. We are trying to find ways in which we can support the organization of intensive English language courses for young displaced people who may want to work in the service sector, in the tourism sector and need knowledge of English to do so. Another area that we are trying to focus on, and I know that the EU, as well as our other donors, are doing quite a lot in this area, is housing. The housing problem in Armenia is a long-term and complex problem, since in many places the housing stock is already quite meager. That's why we're working to support the development of alternative housing so that displaced people can stay in their homes longer. Getting temporary housing was very important when they were here initially, but they are having to find more permanent housing, and that is what we are trying to help the Armenian government and other social services do. These are just some of the issues we've been working on since September," Ambassador Kvien said. When asked to clarify whether the United States has a clear assessment of what happened in Artsakh - deportation or ethnic cleansing, the Ambassador admitted that there is no such assessment yet. "No, we don't have one. We had a team that interviewed and talked to the displaced people, but they haven't made any statements yet. But I can say, perhaps on the flip side of that, that according to international law, those who have fled should be able to return and live in a safe environment. The United States strongly supports the right of return, and we are certainly willing to work with other international organizations to try to see if we can find a way for them to return to Karabakh at some point," the US Ambassador said.
When asked whether it can be considered that the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh and its people is considered closed for the United States, since the American side has stopped focusing on the right of Artsakh people to return to their homes, Ambassador Kvien noted that Washington does not consider this issue to be completely resolved.
"I would not say that we consider this issue to be completely resolved. Obviously, there are many problems that have not been fully resolved. And, as I said, we do support the right of return. However, I must say that, having talked with quite a lot of refugees, we see that they do not feel safe to return. It must be acknowledged that they do not feel safe and the environment that would be needed for them to come back and feel safe does not currently exist. This is one of the reasons why we are focusing on supporting them here - for now it is a more realistic option. But this does not mean that we are ruling out such a possibility in the future, and we are very open to cooperation with the international community and discussion ways to solve this problem," the US Ambassador said.
Asked whether the US was going to require Aliyev to guarantee the right of these people to a safe and dignified life in their homeland, Ambassador Kvien suggested that if a solution was found to allow them to return and feel safe, then the Azerbaijani government should take a significant part in this. "I don't have an answer right now, but I can say that we are certainly open to this conversation," she added. Regarding the possibility of ensuring the preservation of the cultural heritage of Artsakh, which is under threat of destruction from Azerbaijan, Ambassador Kvien emphasized that the United States strongly supports the preservation of cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas, and wherever such heritage is known to exist. "We have also tried to talk to international organizations that are directly involved in this issue to encourage them to look into this issue. And, of course, our embassy in Baku will likely play a leading role in finding ways to help," she assured.