U.S. Rejects Zakharova's Comments on Karabakh Mediation, Says Moscow 'Has Little Respect' For Neighbors' Sovereignty

Washington on Tuesday sharply rejected Russia's characterization of the Western efforts to resolve issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"We would certainly take issue with a characterization of our efforts being self-promotional," State Department's spokesperson Ned Price told a daily press briefing in response to TURAN's questions about the Russian Foreign Ministry's latest condemnations.

Earlier in the day, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the U.S. and EU of “self-promotion” saying that the West was "seeking publicity" by trying to claim credit for the detente achieved through trilateral engagement between Baku, Yerevan, and Moscow.

Washington and Brussels “are not interested in compromises on Transcaucasia, seeking to squeeze Russia out of the region,” Zakharova wrote on Telegram.

Asked by TURAN's correspondent for reaction to Zakharova's comments, Price said, there is "nothing self-promotional about seeking to put an end to years of conflict and to years of flare-ups that have led to violence and ultimately to deaths, both on the part of Armenians and the citizens of Azerbaijan."

"Our only goal here is to see and to help these countries work together to bring about a comprehensive and lasting peace, and ultimately to save lives. I don’t know what about that can be construed as self-promotional," he added.

Price went on to add, "As the Secretary [Antoy Blinken] has emphasized, we are committed to peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We’ve encouraged both leaders to meet in whatever format is most useful to them."

Washington believes that direct dialogue is key to resolving issues and to reaching a lasting peace.

"It’s why Secretary Blinken brought together his foreign minister counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan in New York City in September, the first time that the two had been in the same room since the recent flare-up of violence," Price recalled.

Zakharova's comments came as Russian president Vladimir Putin has reportedly been planning to bring together Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders by the end of this month.

TURAN's correspondent asked Price whether there was any concern in the West that the upcoming Russia meeting would serve for undermining the achievements of Brussels and Prague discussions, rather than cementing them.

Price said, "it’s ultimately for Armenia and for Azerbaijan to decide whether President Putin’s invitation would be helpful or useful to them in pursuit of that lasting peace."

According to Price, Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia and its ongoing brutal invasion of Ukraine "suggests that Moscow has little respect for its neighbor’s sovereignty and is hardly a reliable, long-term partner."

"But ultimately, this is going to be a decision that Armenian and Azerbaijan will have to reach," he said.

"There is ultimately no greater support than the United States for the sovereignty and the independence of the countries in the South Caucasus. The restoration of Armenia, Azerbaijan’s, and Georgia’s independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union was a seminal event that guaranteed each of these countries the right to pursue their own foreign policy interests independent of Moscow or independent of any other country," Price concluded.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.