12:31,

YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The United States is ready to help intensify diplomatic engagement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, United States President Joe Biden said in a letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani AZERTAC state news agency reported.

“Now is also a moment of hope with an important opportunity to build lasting peace in the South Caucasus. The United States is ready to help intensify diplomatic engagement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and to help Azerbaijan develop the economic, transportation, and people-to-people connections that will enable the entire Caucasus and trans-Caspian region to prosper,” Biden said in part.

Biden also noted that the United States encourages Azerbaijan to take “meaningful” steps towards democratic governance. “We continue to encourage Azerbaijan to take meaningful steps toward democratic governance and reforms that protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Azerbaijanis,” Biden said in the letter of congratulation to President Aliyev on the occasion of Independence Day.