The State Department hopes that the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will accept French President Hollande’s offer to meet soon in Paris, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Brent Hartley said in Vienna.

“While the OSCE role in Nagorno-Karabakh is shaped by work of the Minsk Group, as an organization we can and should continue to encourage Armenia and Azerbaijan to commit themselves to negotiations that would lead to a peace agreement, building on the substantial work done to date,” he said during a conference last week.

Hartley added that Swiss President Burkhalter’s call for “structured negotiations” is also an opportunity for the sides to advance the peace process.

“Track II efforts to build people-to-people contacts between Azerbaijanis and Armenians can also contribute to a lasting settlement by helping citizens of both countries prepare for peace. As one of the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group, the United States remains committed at the highest levels to this process,” he emphasized.