"The Sides Are At Historic Crossroads" — U.S. Urges Azerbaijan, Armenia To Choose Peace And Prosperity

Top Biden administration officials on Wednesday pushed back criticism over the U.S. peace efforts in the South Caucasus, as well as its security assistance towards Azerbaijan, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"I do believe that the assistance [to Azerbaijan] is in the national security interest of the U.S," Karen Donfried, assistant secretary of state for European Affairs, said before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when responding to senators' questions over Section 907.

Chairman Robert Menendez in his statements accused the administration of "looking the other way" when addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, "because of whatever interests we have with Azerbaijan" accusing Baku of being "the aggressor" in the region.

"When there is an aggressor, we should call out the aggressor," Menendez said, adding that Azerbaijan was the one that had "the ability to even be the aggressor" in this conflict. "Yet we looked the other way and we waved Section 907," he said.

Donfried, in her response, said that the Biden administration has been working very hard to achieve a goal that everyone shares, "which is a sustainable peace in the South Caucasus"

"... We've seen over three decades of conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And what we are hearing from both of those countries today is they both believe there is a historic opportunity for a sustainable peace in the region that would be profoundly important for both of these countries, and for the region as a whole," Donfried said.

"And what we are trying to do is facilitate to the best of our abilities these two countries achieving that peace" she added.

As for the Section 907, she emphasized that there is "nothing automatic" about the waiver process and that the administration has looked at it "with great care" and made sure that the U.S. assessment was not undermining or hampering efforts to achieve the peaceful settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

According to her, the assistance is meant to be for border security "that's provided significant results countering transnational threats from Iran and disrupting smuggling routes to the South Caucasus, Russia and Europe.  "So I do believe that the assistance is going to support U.S. national security interests," she emphasized.

Donfried's remarks were also echoed by Ambassador Philip Reeker, senior advisor for Caucasus Negotiations, saying that the pace and the depth of the current negotiations show the potential for achieving a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which the U.S. has not seen for a long time.

According to him, the authorities in both countries still have much work to do, including investigating allegations of violations of human rights and international laws and bringing perpetrators to justice.

"As Prime Minister [Nikol] Pashinyan has been very clear that it's not about territory, it's about security and rights" he said. And President [Ilham] Aliyev "has acknowledged that," he added.

While the U.S. and EU encourage and facilitate negotiations, Baku and Yerevan determine their content. Direct negotiations between the two countries, driven by their interests rather than the interests of outside players, have the best chance for long-term success, according to Reeker.

Asked by Menendez what specific programs and assistance the U.S. has provided in the humanitarian realm, Reeker said that the access to Nagorno-Karabakh "is extremely limited."

"I have not been able to visit there on my trip in the past two months to the region. It is not currently possible for the U.S. government to conduct needs assessments or monitor programs, but the United States has programs of central funding for humanitarian, the mining operation, or some other things," he added.

Asked by Senator Ben Cardin whether it was time to end the Minsk Group, Reeker said, the MG process has not been functioning, while its mandate "remains relevant."

"The purpose of the mandate is, of course, retained. And the OSCE operates on the basis of consensus. I remain in very close contact with my French colleague, with the EU, which is now so [deeply] involved in the region, with other stakeholders, with the OSCE itself," Reeker noted. "The Russian colleague for instance, has never been in touch with me," he added later.

Following last week's meetings in Washington, Reeker said, both sides "have pledged to get back" with another round of discussion. "I expect the leaders will meet again," he said.

Reeker also spoke about Russian peacekeepers, saying that "we've seen with the violence in September that those peacekeepers were in many ways nowhere to be seen. I think that's been a question of concern for both sides''.

During his testimony, Reeker once again encouraged the leaders in both countries to "consider an international mechanism to ensure, monitor, and report on any agreement involving Nagorno-Karabakh."

"The sides are at an historic crossroads," he went on to add. "We are encouraging them to choose a future of prosperity and demonstrate the wisdom of working together on a peace that will benefit the people of the region for generations to come. Our efforts will continue towards this goal, and we will do so in any way we can."

Donfried, in her turn, added that people across the South Caucasus deserve to live in peace, which will unlock prosperity for the entire region. "This [Biden] Administration is fully committed to supporting this worthy goal," she concluded.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.