Azerbaijan, Baku, April 9 / Trend, S.Ahmedova /
The U.S. remains deeply committed to working with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict parties to achieve a peaceful settlement, Acting Deputy Spokesperson at the U.S. Department of State, Patrick Ventrell said at a press briefing.
"We are a co-chair of the Minsk Group - we remain deeply committed to working with the sides to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict," Ventrell said when asked about discussions over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Secretary Kerry and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Turkey.
Ventrell said that the U.S. believes that the use of force will not resolve the conflict. "The U.S calls upon all parties to refrain from the use or threat of use of force," he said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
When asked about any developments in Turkey-Armenia relations, Ventrell said that the U.S. consistently raises with its Turkish counterparts.
Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations and the border between them has been closed since 1993. This was caused by Armenian claims for international recognition of the so-called "genocide" and occupation of Azerbaijani territories.