Rubio backs Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, stresses regional stability

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday welcomed the agreement on a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, underscoring the importance of lasting security and prosperity in the region, according to the State Department.

"The Secretary welcomed the agreement on a peace treaty with Azerbaijan and underlined the importance of a lasting peace to break the cycle of regional conflict and bring security and prosperity to the South Caucasus," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement following a phone call between Rubio and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Rubio and Pashinyan agreed that escalation of any form in the South Caucasus is unacceptable, the statement said.

The two also discussed their countries’ shared interests as strategic partners and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, it added.

The phone call came days after Azerbaijan and Armenia separately announced an agreement on the draft of a peace deal set to end a decades-long conflict and establish diplomatic ties between Baku and Yerevan.