US official does not answer questions directly (video)
The USA is concerned over the recent escalation of violence along the Line of Contact between the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces, a senior American diplomat told reporters in Yerevan. “We want to see the violence end. We want the parties to come back to the table of negotiations. We want to support that process,” said Victoria Nuland, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs. Before meeting the journalists, it was announced that the U.S. diplomat would only answer two questions. One of the questions concerned her statement made in Azerbaijan that Armenia should return Azerbaijani saboteurs. “We want the negotiations to continue in the Minsk group format. I have spoken with the presidents of the two countries [Armenia and Azerbaijan] about the need of stopping bloodshed. None of the countries will benefit from it. During our visits to both countries we registered progress and we hope that in the coming days there will be peace on the Line of Contact for the benefit of soldiers and their parents, for the benefit of the region. A terrible crime was committed but we urge the relevant bodies to make that humanitarian gesture,” she said. Before arriving in Armenia, Victoria Nuland visited Azerbaijan and Georgia. In Yerevan, she met Serzh Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, civil activists and visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex. She said she was pleased with the result of the meetings.
