The United States welcomes the progress achieved between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Vienna and supports efforts to create a mechanism for investigating incidents and reach a comprehensive peace agreement, US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told reporters during his visit to Terter on June 17, APA reports. He was commenting on the upcoming meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Asked whether or not the fact that the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents are going to meet at the Russian president's initiative would mean the US has taken a step back from the process, the ambassador replied: "First of all, I would like to note that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was one of the main topics of discussion during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to the US in late March. In addition, the sides came together in Vienna at the initiative and with the support of the US and Secretary of State John Kerry."
As for the possibility of returning five districts adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan at the first stage of the settlement, Cekuta said: "If you read the statements of James Warlick, you will see that the efforts of the OSCE MG and other co-chairing countries are aimed at achieving a common goal - a comprehensive peace agreement between the sides."
To note, Russia's President Vladimir Putin will hold separate meetings with Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan on June 20 in Saint Petersburg, after which a three-sided meeting will be held.