By Rashid Shirinov

The position of the United States on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is aimed at peaceful settlement of the long-standing problem in the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and remains unchanged.

Azerbaijani MP, Chairman of the PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons Sahiba Gafarova said that these suggest that the U.S. attaches particular importance to the relations with Azerbaijan, its strategic partner in the South Caucasus.

Gafarova, talking to Day.Az said that statements of American officials confirm this.

“American politicians say that the U.S. would like to see Azerbaijan a strong, stable, independent, democratic country, and this suggests that a high level of interaction has been achieved thanks to the adjusted state policy of Azerbaijan,” Sahiba Gafarova said.

U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta earlier noted that the U.S. is committed to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and that a visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to the region is expected in the near future. The American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Andrew Schaefer, also noted that he hopes to visit the region in the coming weeks.

Gafarova reminded that such statements are not addressed to neighboring Armenia, as the country is not of interest to the U.S.  “Obviously, the U.S. gives partner preference to Azerbaijan, but not to Armenia,” she added.

The U.S. is one of the three countries co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group aimed at finding a peaceful settlement to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

However, Armenia, the country that occupied 20 percent of internationally recognized lands of Azerbaijan, does everything to avoid negotiations on the settlement of the conflict and remains unpunished for such an attitude. In this regard, the U.S.’s making pressure on Armenia is of great importance.

Sahiba Gafarova noted that the U.S., as a leading world power, is able to exert pressure on Armenia in order to force it to implement the UN Security Council resolutions, which demand withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijan’s occupied lands.

“I think the international community should not remain indifferent to Armenia's aggression, and the regime in Yerevan must pay in accordance with international laws for all atrocities committed against Azerbaijani civilians,” the MP said.

She reminded that the Armenian side has been ignoring the resolutions of authoritative organizations for many years, and the requirements on the withdrawal of its military units from the occupied Azerbaijani territories have not been fulfilled, which confirms the terrorist nature of the Armenian state.

“This fact must guide the major powers, particularly the U.S. that oppose the spread of international terrorism,” Gafarova said, expressing hope that the U.S. will increase its mediatory mission in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict both within the OSCE Minsk Group, and at the level of interstate dialogue.

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