Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh region ride in a truck upon their arrival at the border village of Kornidzor, Armenia, September 27, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Nov 16 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said on Thursday it could not take part in a meeting with Armenia's foreign minister planned for Nov. 20 in Washington because of the "one-sided approach of the United States".
It said senior U.S. officials were unwelcome in Baku for the same reason.
Meanwhile, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he intended to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Thursday.
The two Caucasian countries have been in conflict for decades, most notably over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but largely populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians with Yerevan's support until Baku recaptured it in September.
Azerbaijan objected in particular to "one-sided and biased" comments on Wednesday by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
It said that, when O'Brien said Azerbaijan’s use of force in September had prompted most of the population of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee, he had failed to mention the "illegal stationing of more than 10,000 Armenian armed forces".
It complained that O'Brien did not mention that "for more than two months Armenia has not been responding" to Azerbaijani peace proposals. The Azerbaijani statement also said Washington was continuing to offer support to Armenia even though Armenia was "an aggressor and a destabilizing source in the region".
According to a transcript posted by the committee, O'Brien said "there cannot be 'business as usual'" in Washington's relations with Baku.
He said the U.S. had cancelled high-level bilateral meetings and engagements with Azerbaijan and would keep urging it to "facilitate the return of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians who may wish to go back to their homes or visit cultural sites in the region, as well as restore unimpeded commercial, humanitarian, and pedestrian traffic to the region".
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov told a forum in Tbilisi last month that Baku had been committed to peace and the restoration of transport links with Armenia since 2020, but that progress hinged on Yerevan.
Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Mark Trevelyan
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hmmokby on November 17th, 2023 at 13:06 UTC »
The reason for this decision of the USA is that Azerbaijan has agreed with Iran on many issues regarding the railway and transportation network. Last week, an Economic Cooperation Organization meeting was held in Uzbekistan. At the meeting, it was seen that relations between Iran and Azerbaijan had softened. Many economic decisions were also made. While this organization was founded by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan in 1985, Azerbaijan, all Central Asian countries and Afghanistan joined the union after 1991. One of the most productive meetings in recent years was held.
For this reason, it is normal for the USA to take such a stance due to the decrease in Iran-Azerbaijan tensions. There is no radical change for Armenia.
James O'Brien's statements were not welcomed in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, said that the USA, as a non-regional country, does not take a neutral position in the relations of the regional countries. No significant change is expected.
askaway0002 on November 17th, 2023 at 07:40 UTC »
LOL.
We've literally been favoring Azerbaijan over Armenia forever.
Now, they're complaining?
vigoave on November 17th, 2023 at 06:11 UTC »
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan announced that they will not attend a scheduled meeting with Armenia's foreign minister in Washington on November 20. The ministry attributed their absence to what they perceive as a biased stance from the United States. Consequently, they have also declared senior U.S. officials persona non grata in Baku. Concurrently, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed through Russia’s TASS news agency his determination to escalate political and diplomatic activities aimed at forging a peace agreement with Azerbaijan.