"Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia will be beneficial for the entire region" - O'Brien

The United States sees opportunities to achieve peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien said at a briefing in Baku today. He stressed that "the settlement of the conflict will be beneficial for the entire region, at the same time it will bring economic benefits."

Referring to the agreements between Armenia and France on military supplies, the American diplomat said that "every country has the right to self-defense." "We see Azerbaijan also working in this direction," he added.

At the same time, according to O'Brien, the purchase of new weapons is "also an indicator that there is very little trust between the parties." "And this is understandable, because we are talking about a 30-year conflict," the American diplomat added. He noted that the parties are working towards peace-building and building trust.

Recalling Armenia's support for Azerbaijan's adoption of COP-29, Azerbaijan's release of detained Armenians, and the border demarcation process, O'Brien described these steps as "positive" actions. O'Brien announced the invitation of the United States of Azerbaijan and Armenia to events within the framework of the NATO summit in Washington on July 9-11.

"We expect the participation of both countries. A total of 30 countries are expected to participate, including these countries," O'Brien said. Regarding the upcoming COP29 climate summit, the American diplomat noted that the United States will provide technical support to Azerbaijan in holding this event.

O'Brien also drew attention to the fact that during the meetings in Baku he touched upon the importance of ensuring human rights and democracy. He noted the role of Azerbaijan in the energy supply of Europe. "Some European countries have completely abandoned Russian gas, some have reduced purchases. Azerbaijan has become one of the countries playing a leading role in diversifying Europe's energy sources," O'Brien said.