U.S. is doing everything it can now to support the OSCE Minsk Group in helping to move to actual peace talks in Nagorno-Karabakh after so many years, said Eric Rubin, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. 

According to him, this is something that has obviously been a priority for almost 20 years.

“This is not a success story in the sense that we have not had a lot of progress toward peace talks and a settlement in 20 years, but I also think it’s important to note that through international efforts, through the OSCE; Minsk Group; our engagement; the engagement of Russia, France, of other countries, we’ve also helped Armenia and Azerbaijan avoid outright conflict. And I know that’s a negative positive that’s the absence of a negative, but that’s something that’s very significant given what that conflict was like and could be if it started again,” he said.

He stressed that U.S. understands that it’s still very far from resolution, very far from being ready to move to actual peace talks.

“We’re still working now to agree on basic principles, but the commitment is very strong and we believe the commitment is there from both Armenia and Azerbaijan and we’re hoping that this coming year will be a year of progress on that after several years of halting progress,” Rubin added.