As the US State Department announced Sunday, the US has expressed concern regarding the setting up of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan because it disrupts the peace process. Kristina Kvien, the new US Ambassador to Armenia, told this to reporters Monday at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.

At this moment, the US wants negotiations between the parties and is ready to support the peace process, Kvien said

Any use of violence, any provocative action undermines the peace process, the US is trying to move forward, trying to make efforts to advance the peace process, the American diplomat said.

To the question whether what is happening to the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) can be defined as genocide, the US ambassador responded that at the moment she has no authority to make such an assessment.

And as for the chances of the US imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan, Ambassador Kvien said that at the moment there are no sanctions imposed by the US on Azerbaijan, and she cannot comment on what they will do in the future.

Azerbaijan on Sunday announced the installation of a checkpoint on the Lachin-Stepanakert motorway.