US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday announced the appointment of Ambassador James Warlick as the next US Co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group.  

To note, the Minsk Group, which is engaged in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, also has co-chairs from Russia and France, reports RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

“He is a first-rate diplomat, and I am confident that he will do a tremendous job in this critical post. The United States remains firmly committed to helping the sides reach a lasting and peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Kerry’s respective statement reads, in particular.

Ambassador Warlick will assume his new position in September.

James Warlick most recently served as Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and lead negotiator for the Bilateral Security Agreement with Afghanistan. He served as Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2009-2012, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs from 2006 to 2009, and Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs from 2005 to 2006.