Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza  said that his top priority as an ambassador is pursuing a peaceful and fair settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Bryza made this remark during a reception organized by the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Azerbaijani mass media reports. He also stressed that he would focus on development of the ties between Azerbaijan and the U.S.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, Matthew Bryza is a career diplomat, former Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.  In December 2010 U.S. President Barack Obama announced recess appointments, which include Matt Bryza (to Azerbaijan) and Frank Ricciardone (to Turkey). The Armenian lobby in U.S. opposed Bryza’s appointment. Bryza denies the Armenian Genocide perpetrated under Ottoman Empire in the 20th century and has an obvious pro-Azerbaijani stance on the Karabakh conflict settlement.