The United States remain firmly committed to working with both parties to the Karabakh conflict to achieve peace, State Department representative said.

“Only a lasting and peaceful settlement can bring stability, prosperity, and reconciliation to the region. And you know that the United States is a co-chair of the Minsk Group, and we remain firmly committed to working with both sides to achieve peace,” Deputy Spokesperson Patrick Ventrell told a briefing on Friday.      

Commenting on the Turkish foreign ministry’s criticism against Obama’s April 24 statement, Ventrell said “the statement stands for itself, and I really refer you to the President’s very clear statement.”

Answering to a remark that the U.S. failed to honor victims of the Khojaly events, State Department official said:

“Well, we’ve talked about this before, and I’ll give the same response, which is that the tragic loss of life in the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia reminds us that there cannot be a military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Only a lasting and peaceful settlement can bring stability, prosperity, and reconciliation to the region. And you know that the United States is a co-chair of the Minsk Group, and we remain firmly committed to working with both sides to achieve peace.”