U.S. 'Continues To Remain Deeply Engaged' On Karabakh Issue, State Department Says

Washington D.C./26.04.23/Turan:   The State Department on Tuesday reiterated its intention to "continue to remain deeply engaged" on the Karabakh issue, despite the recent setback, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Senior Advisor [Louis] Bono, Assistant Secretary [Dereck] Hogan, the Secretary [Antony Blinken]– we’re going to continue to remain deeply engaged on this," Principal Deputy Secretary Vedant Patel told a daily briefing when responding to TURAN's questions.

"... You know firsthand that this issue in the South Caucasus is something that the Secretary [Blinken] himself deeply values and places a lot of importance on," he said.

Caucasus Negotiator Bono, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Erika Olson had been traveling separately in the region last week, just days before Azerbaijan announced the establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor.

Patel reminded that the department on Sunday expressed its deep concern about the move.  "Frankly... [the establishment of the checkpoint] undermines efforts to establish confidence in the peace process, and we are of the viewpoint that there should be free and open movement of people and commerce on the Lachin corridor," he said.

Patel refrained from commenting on specifics of conversations between the U.S. diplomats and officials in Baku and Yerevan.

Alex Raufoglu