Interfax, Russia
April 24 2009

Normal Turkish-Armenian ties to benefit Karabakh settlement –
U.S. ambassador to Baku

BAKU April 24

The establishment of relations between Turkey and Armenia will have a
positive impact on the situation in the region, U.S. Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Anne E. Derse said.

Derse mentioned a conversation between U.S. President Barack Obama and
his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev a few days ago.

The U.S. head of state favors efforts the normalization relations
between Turkey and Armenia and the bridging of the gap between the two
nations’ positions, the ambassador said. The U.S. president believes
that it can make a contribution to the strengthening of peace and
stability in the region and prove useful in searching for ways to
resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, she said.

The U.S. co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, which helps settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has made several trips to Azerbaijan in the
past few weeks, and he is currently visiting the republic, the high-
ranking diplomat said.

He [U.S. co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza] continues
taking steps toward a settlement of this conflict along with all the
other co-chairmen, Derse said. The OSCE Minsk Group has stepped up its
activities and is determined to find ways to resolve the conflict, she
said.

The ambassador welcomed the April 18-26 Regional Response 2009
military exercises in Azerbaijan. These exercises involve Azeri and
U.S.

soldiers, she said. U.S. soldiers hail these exercises and have a high
opinion of their organization, she added.