BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 27. The United States seeks to ensure that the export of goods from Central Asia does not go through Russia and China, but through alternative routes, including Azerbaijan, said James O’Brien, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, at the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Trend reports.
"This applies to the entire Central Asian region; all of these countries’ exports to world markets now only go through China and Russia. For a workaround, they need to cooperate with Azerbaijan," he said, commenting on the goals of his upcoming trip to Baku.
"One route goes through Georgia to the Black Sea, but another, potentially larger one, would go through Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Türkiye. For these reasons, we need a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia," the diplomat explained.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs James C. O’Brien will travel to Baku, Azerbaijan, and Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 27-29.
In Baku, Assistant Secretary O’Brien will meet with senior Azerbaijani government officials, to highlight progress in the U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral relationship and U.S. support toward the conclusion of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.