A delegation of the US Congress, led by Democratic Senator Jerry Peters, visited the Syunik region of Armenia, bordering the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh. This was reported by the Armenian service of Radio Liberty.
Peters has already met with local officials and discussed security and humanitarian issues. According to the senator, local residents fear for their fate, so efforts must be made so that international observers can enter the territory of Karabakh.
The delegation’s visit will last until September 25. Washington representatives will hold meetings with the leadership of Armenia – Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paruyr Hovhannisyan and others.
The meetings will discuss Armenian-American relations and the impact of Azerbaijan’s military operations on the Armenian population of Karabakh.
In turn, foreign military attaches from China, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan and other countries visited the Shusha region of Azerbaijan. There they were shown military equipment and weapons laid down by pro-Armenian forces after the Azerbaijani military operation in the region.
On September 19, Azerbaijan launched a military operation on the territory of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh, accusing pro-Armenian forces of terrorist attacks after blowing up two Azerbaijani vehicles and systematic shelling of Azerbaijani positions. On September 20, the leadership of the unrecognized region capitulated on Baku’s terms. The Azerbaijani authorities have declared their readiness to negotiate on the reintegration of the Armenian population of Karabakh. The US State Department criticized Azerbaijan’s actions. According to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Baku’s actions contradict efforts to achieve peace in the region. Blinken expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Karabakh. The territory of Karabakh is considered part of Azerbaijan under international law. The region’s population is predominantly ethnic Armenians. Since the early 1990s, Baku has not controlled most of the region. Representatives of the Armenian community proclaimed an independent republic, which was not recognized by any country, including Armenia. Following the results of the 44-day war in the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan and Armenia, through the mediation of Russia, signed an agreement to cease hostilities. Baku regained control of a significant part of the territories of unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent regions of Azerbaijan, occupied by Armenian troops in the early 1990s. By agreement of the parties to the conflict, Russian peacekeeping forces were deployed in the region. A peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia has not yet been signed. Negotiations mediated by the United States, the European Union and Russia have not yet brought any results.
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