U.S. top official says positive trends observed in Nagorno-Karabakh talks

Positive trends have been observed in talks on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in recent weeks, and the United States will contribute to the further development of these trends, U.S. First Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg said.

According to Mediamax, the U.S. diplomat made the statement on the Armenian Kentron television channel on Thursday.

Steinberg said the OSCE Minsk Group’s work is a primary directions of U.S. foreign policy. Steinberg and U.S. Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Phillip Gordon paid a regional visit to all three South Caucasus republics on Feb.23-24.

The U.S. diplomat did not agree with the idea that Russia has assumed a dominant role in the process of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, adding that the last statement on Karabakh was made jointly in Astana.

"Of course, Russia’s activity in this issue is welcomed, but all three countries-co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are active and contribute to the conflict resolution," Steinberg said, while stressing that there is no rivalry between the Minsk Group co-chair countries.

"We believe that a peaceful diplomatic way is the only way for a settlement, and we try to convey this message to both sides," Steinberg said, stressing that the peaceful settlement of the problem is in the interests of all regional players.


/Trend/