“But ultimately, the responsibility for peace falls on the shoulders of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the official added.
The State Department official noted that the United States and Azerbaijan share a strong partnership based on three aspects: security; economics and energy; and democracy and governance.
“We continue to encourage efforts to build a more secure and prosperous Azerbaijan that respects fundamental freedoms, in accordance with international commitments,” said the official.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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