The United States has taken note of the “significant progress” that Armenia and Azerbaijan have made over the last several months, Department of State spokesperson Ned Price told a press briefing on Wednesday, February 22.
“This has been the result of engagement between the parties. This has been the result of bilateral engagement with the United States, trilateral engagement with the United States, the work that the EU has done in their diplomacy as well, and what we hope to see when the parties come together in Brussels in the coming days in the talks hosted by President Michel of the EU.
“So, we hope to see a continuation of that progress. We are not being Pollyannaish, but we are continuing to support this dialogue, this diplomacy, towards a comprehensive solution in every way we possibly can.”
Since December 12, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia – the Lachin Corridor – has been blocked by self-described Azerbaijani environmentalists. Karabakh residents have reported food and fuel shortages, while hospital patients don't have access to essential medicines, with only a handful allowed transfer to facilities in Armenia proper.
