US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations and new US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Louis Bono will visit the South Caucasus for the first time in this capacity; the trip will take place next week, US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price noted at Thursday’s Department press briefing.
He added that Washington expects his visits to the three countries of the region to be regular.
"Mr. Bono plans to meet with senior leaders to support the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and our sustained commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. As I mentioned before, he will visit all three South Caucasus countries as part of his visit. He’ll travel to Baku, to Yerevan, Tbilisi as well, in that order," said Price.
According to him, Washington believes that the visit to the region will be an opportunity for Bono to build on the meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Armenia’s prime minister, and Azerbaijan’s president at the Munich Security Conference.
"As we said at the conclusion of that trilateral engagement, we are encouraged by recent efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage productively on the peace process. And Mr. Bono helps to—hopes to be in a position to build on that effort, and to see that progress continue. In all three of these cities, Mr. Bono will emphasize the United States is committed to promoting a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region," added the US Department of State spokesperson.
