U.S. 'Pleased' That Natural Gas To Nagorno-Karabakh Has Been Restored — State Department

Washington is 'pleased' that natural gas to Nagorno-Karabakh has been restored, the State Department said on Friday, TURAN's U.S, correspondent reports.

"Disruptions to energy infrastructure could precipitate a humanitarian crisis," Vedant Patel. the Department's principal deputy spokesperson, told a daily press briefing.

Patel reiterated Washington's position that the closure of the Lachin Corridor "has potentially severe humanitarian implications and, quite candidly, sets back the peace process"

"And we call [for] the restoration of free movement through the corridor as soon as possible, and the way forward to this is through negotiations," he added.

Asked by TURAN's correspondent if Washington believed that the sides were still interested in signing a peace agreement by the end of the year, Patel said, he "wouldn’t assign a timeline to it."

In the meantime, he reminded that this is something that the Secretary [Antony Blinken] "has a great interest in and has paid very close attention to."

"Other senior leaders across the [State] Department have as well, and it’s something that we’re going to continue to remain deeply engaged on and get to cross the finish line," he concluded.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.