US’S ATTENTION TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT CAN BRING ENDURING PEACE TO REGION: AMBASSADOR
S.Agayeva

Trend
April 23 2009
Azerbaijan

The United States’ attention to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
can help bring enduring peace to this region, U.S. Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Anne Derse believes.

"Secretary Clinton and President Obama are focused on this process,
and we believe their attention can help bring enduring peace to this
region," comments by Derse said.

The United States intends to activate its efforts in peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton said while making speech at the hearings of the House of
Representatives of the Congress, ITAR-TASS reported.

"We have also assured the government of Azerbaijan that we will
intensify our efforts to resolve the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
and other outstanding issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia," she
said. The head of the U.S. diplomacy promised that the United States
is going to be deeply engaged in the OSCE Minsk Group activity on
the Nagorno-Karabakh. Clinton also reminded that the State Department
has sent its official to Azerbaijan two times in the last three weeks.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.

The ambassador expresses her optimism that intensified efforts by
the Minsk Group co-chairs – can bring about positive steps.