As Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the U.S. Will Work Towards Finding a Long-Term Political Solution on the Nagorno-Karabakh Issue - Lin Tracy

The Chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defense and Security of the Republic of Armenia, Andranik Kocharyan, met on January 20 with a delegation headed by the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Lin Tracy, which also included the military attaché Scott Maxwell and the economic affairs officer Kim Zapfel. This was reported by the National Assembly of Armenia.

Addressing the pressing issues arising from the war, Andranik Kocharyan emphasized the need to make every possible effort for the exchange of prisoners. He noted, “The issue of prisoners of war is an important humanitarian problem that needs to be resolved through all possible channels at the earliest opportunity.”

The participants also discussed the involvement of terrorists and mercenaries from the Middle East by Azerbaijan during the war. “The participation of mercenaries from Syria and other countries in the Middle East is undeniable, and this fact has been confirmed by the special services of leading countries in the world, both France and the Russian Federation. In fact, in this war, the Defense Army has fought against Azerbaijan, Turkey, terrorists, and Israel's advanced weaponry,” said Andranik Kocharyan.

Lin Tracy noted, “As the Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the United States will work towards finding a long-term political solution on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. In this process, we need to strive for dialogue at various levels.”

The Committee Chairman stated that a guarantee for ensuring security in the region could be the clarification of the Nagorno-Karabakh status, and that work in this direction should already begin.

At the end of the meeting, issues related to ensuring the security of economic relations, legislative initiatives aimed at reforming the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the institutional educational opportunities for the sergeant staff supported by the embassy were discussed.