The U.S. Embassy in Armenia responded to the Lurer questions regarding Azerbaijan's recent aggression.

To the question, “how do you assess Azerbaijan's actions towards the sovereign territory of Armenia?” the US Embassy to Armenia answered: “There can be no military solution to the conflict, and the use of force is not acceptable.  We mourn the loss of life, including reports of multiple civilian deaths inside Armenia.  We are glad that our continued engagement at high levels with Azerbaijan and Armenia has helped the sides reach a ceasefire, and we continue to engage on and encourage the work needed to reach a lasting peace.”

Lurer asked about the U.S. Embassy's position on Azerbaijani armed forces illegally stationed on sovereign Armenian territory. Asked "Do you consider their withdrawal from internationally recognized Armenian territory an urgent necessity?", the U.S. Embassy said, “We call on Azerbaijan to return troops to their initial positions.  We urge that the cessation of hostilities and disengagement of military forces be maintained, and work to resolve all outstanding issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan through peaceful negotiations continue.  The United States is prepared to do whatever it can to support these efforts.”

The Embassy responded to the question "What is your position on Azerbaijan's shelling of civilian settlements and infrastructure on Armenian territory, which has resulted in casualties?" “We have observed first-hand damage to civilian infrastructure inside Armenia and have seen reports of Armenian civilian casualties, both of which are deeply concerning and underscore the need to prevent further hostilities and the importance of diplomatic engagement.”

 Armenian servicemen were captured by Azerbaijan on sovereign Armenian territory, reports of their torture have circulated, and they have yet to be returned to the Armenian side. The U.S. diplomatic mission responded to the question, "What is your position on these issues?" “We have seen reports of capture of Armenian servicemembers and reports of torture.  The immediate, unconditional return of those captured in last week’s attacks, as well as the return of all other detainees, is an important step to achieving a lasting peace.  The United States condemns torture wherever and whenever it occurs and strongly urges governments to abide by their international obligations and end impunity for these crimes.”