U.S. Welcomes Cessation Of Hostilities, Urges For Peace

Washington on Thursday welcomed a ceasefire announced between Azerbaijan and Armenia following two days of clashes, urging the parties "to engage in the peace process," TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports. 

"We welcome continued adherence to the ceasefire... We urge that a cessation of hostilities be maintained, and we urge the disengagement of military forces and work to resolve all outstanding issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan through peaceful negotiations," State Department's spokesperson Ned Price told TURAN's Washington correspondent during his daily press briefing.

"Use of force is never an acceptable path, and we are glad that the continued engagement at high levels in Armenia and Azerbaijan has helped the sides reach a ceasefire," Price added.

The U.S, he added, continues to engage and encourage the work needed to reach a lasting peace. Secretary of State Antony Blinken "has been personally focused on this and will remain engaged going forward," Price said. "The Secretary, of course, has had an opportunity a couple days ago now to speak to both leaders. I would expect that he will have an opportunity to speak to the leaders again."

Blinken on Thursday did, in fact, speak with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and conveyed condolences for the loss of life during recent military actions.

"The Secretary reiterated our commitment to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan resolve issues peacefully. He said that diplomacy was the only way forward and noted he would remain personally engaged," the State Department noted in a readout.

Blinken later reiterated in a tweet that the U.S. welcomed the cessation of hostilities and "will continue to work with the parties to seek to cement it."

According to Price, Ambassador Reeker, State Department's senior advisor, who just wrapped up his trip to the region, is currently in Vienna, "meeting with likeminded partners in the OSCE."

TURAN's correspondent also asked Price about media reports regarding U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's expected trip to Armenia this weekend and whether it would contribute to the peace process.

"I would defer to the speaker to speak to any travel she may have," he said.

Congress is an independent branch of government in the U.S. system, and Speaker Pelosi makes her own decisions, as other members of Congress do, about their overseas travel.

“We do not confirm or deny international travel in advance,” Pelosi’s office told TURAN Thursday afternoon.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.