Azerbijan, Baku, April 28 / Trend M. Aliyev /
U.S. congressmen discussed strengthening the OSCE Minsk Group's activity with Azerbaijani MPs today, Bill Shuster, the head of the U.S. congressional delegation and a member of the House Committee on Armed Services and the House
Committee on Transportation, told media.
"The issues concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement were discussed," he said. "The delegation stressed that the U.S. is committed to the peaceful settlement of this issue."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent 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.
The delegation arrived in Baku on Wednesday.
Besides Shuster, Chris Murphy, Sean Duffy, Adam Kinzinger, Cedric Richmond and Jon Runyan are also represented in the delegation.
The officials met with Azerbaijani First Deputy Speaker Ziyafet Askerov and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of International and Interparliamentary Relations Samad Seyidov.
Shuster said the U.S. appreciates the strategic partnership with Azerbaijan.
"The U.S. is satisfied with Azerbaijan's activity in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo, as well as ensuring the energy security of the West," he said.
The i nterests of the United States and Azerbaijan coincide in many issues, he said .