Kerry: U.S. supports peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian-U.S. ties and a meeting with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev were discussed during the November 18 phone conversation between Armenian leader Serzh Sargsyan and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Ahead of the Vienna-hosted meeting mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group, Kerry reiterated Washington’s readiness to assist in the solution of the Karabakh conflict. The parties agreed that there’s no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the issue, also stressing the necessity of developing mutually acceptable mechanisms for the conflict settlement based on fundamental principles.

As Kerry noted at a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,“I talked with both President Aliyev and President Sargsyan - and they are meeting shortly. We are urging that process to move forward, and we will continue to be engaged in that.”

President Sargsyan left for a 3-day visit to Vienna November 18.

Meetings with his Azeri and Austrian counterparts Ilham Aliev and Heinz Fischer are on the Armenian leader's agenda, according to presidential press service.

A meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents can give a new impetus to the solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, a U.S. ambassador to OSCE said.

At the OSCE Permanent Council meeting, Daniel Baer welcomed the Presidents’ decision to meet and discuss further steps for the solution of the conflict.

“It is high time to turn words into actions. U.S., as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, will continue working with the conflicting parties towards the peaceful solution of the conflict,” he said.

Daniel Baer also hailed the mediatory work of the co-chairs and the Special Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office with the conflicting parties.