U.S. Assistant Secretary of State concerned over Russian, Iranian  activity in South Caucasus

ArmInfo.The situation around the Lachin Corridor is an obstacle to the advancement of the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Karen Donfried, U.S.   Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, said  in an interview with the Armenian service of "Voice of America".

Washington is actively making efforts for the corridor to be  reopened. Ms Donfried emphasizes that the blockade of the Lachin  Corridor was the primary topic in U.S. Secretary of State Antony  Blinken's recent telephone conversations with the leaders of  Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The Secretary of State called for the immediate reopening of the  corridor and stressed the importance of unhindered commercial and  private traffic. The USA is concerned about the situation of the  local Armenian population in Nagorno Karabakh and will continue  pressure over this situation, she said.

Ms Donfried also mentioned other obstacles in the  Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiation process.

There is a decades-long painful history in the relations between the  two countries, with both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides having  understandable concerns. A lack of trust between these two countries  can be noted, she said.

She notes that the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiation process, which is  one of the issues on the agenda of US Secretary of State Blinken,  includes discussions on many complex issues, including the peace  agreement, border demarcation, reopening of transport links between  the countries. The US supports direct dialogue between the parties  and emphasizes its necessity, because this is the only way of  achieving the settlement of the above-mentioned complex issues, Ms  Donfried believes. 

The U.S. believes both Armenia and Azerbaijan are deeply committed to  this process. And Washington is ready to help in every way, realizing  that the difficult decisions that must be made to achieve peace must  be made in Yerevan and Baku, the U.S. official said.

According to the high-ranking diplomat, the problems between Armenia  and Azerbaijan cannot have a military solution, and the only way is a  diplomatic settlement through the peace process. "We would not like  to see any escalation of the situation", Ms Donfried said. 

"We do not see a military solution to the situation between the two  countries, and we will continue to remain engaged diplomatically, as  we have been doing, first to make sure there is no escalation, and  second to help encourage positive progress," she said.

The Deputy Secretary of State expresses gratitude to the EU for  deploying a civilian mission to Armenia to monitor Armenia's border  with Azerbaijan. "It is an initiative that we fully support," she  said.

According to Ms Donfried, the activity of Moscow and Tehran in the  South Caucasus is arousing concern.  Russian peacekeepers deployed in  Nagorno-Karabakh  do not play a constructive role, and Iran is  actively trying to enhance its political, power and economic role in  the South Caucasus.

According to Donfried, these fears have intensified over the past  year in connection with the Russian war against Ukraine.

Donfried emphasized that the regional activity of Russia and Iran  should give even greater relevance to the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace  process.