Biden says ready to continue working on return of Armenian PoWs

PanARMENIAN.Net - Presidents of the United States Joe Biden has congratulate Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his party's victory in the parliamentary elections and the formation of a new government, Pashinyan's office reports.

Biden has emphasized that the elections show the desire of the Armenian people to have a more democratic, fair and prosperous society, free from corruption.

"During the last 3 years Armenia recorded progress in those spheres. The United States is happy to assist in those efforts, among which are the assistance to the launching of the new patrol service and the formation of independent institutions for the fight against corruption networks. We will continue to be a reliable partner in your efforts to achieve these goals'', Biden said.

He stated that he understands the difficult security challenges that emerged in 2020 as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "The United States is committed to assisting the parties in negotiating a comprehensive, peaceful settlement under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to get involved in substantive talks as soon as possible.

The United States was pleased to assist in the efforts to release the Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan, and we will continue to call for the safe return of all prisoners of war. We hope that our progress in this direction with the support of Georgia will be an important basis for further regional cooperation, in supplement to the discussions initiated by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs", Biden said in his message.

The American leader added added that the United States is ready to strengthen cooperation with Armenia based on common democratic values and institutions. "I look forward to working with you and your new Cabinet, to deepen and expand our bilateral relations", he said.