Why the U.S. Needs Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan: O'Brien Explains

The goal of the United States is to ensure that the export of goods from Central Asia occurs not through Russia and China, but via alternative routes, including through Azerbaijan. This was stated by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien during his remarks before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The diplomat addressed this issue in the context of an upcoming visit to Baku. O'Brien indicated that currently, exports from Central Asian countries to global markets are only facilitated through Chinese and Russian territories, and to resolve this issue, cooperation with Azerbaijan is essential.

“One route goes through Georgia to the Black Sea, but the other, potentially larger route, will pass through Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey. Therefore, we need a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” the diplomat clarified.

O'Brien added that during his visit, he would inform Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that the time has come to establish peace with Armenia.