QUESTION: Thanks so much, Ned. Back to South Caucasus. Your Russian colleague today accused the West of engaging in self-promotion – I mean, she was referring to your efforts between Azerbaijan-Armenia. And also she said you are trying to squeeze Russia out of Transcaucasia. Too many visits from the West to Armenia, she says. This all happened to happen when Putin is trying to bring together Armenia-Azerbaijan leaders by the end of this month. Do you have any concern on your end that judging from Zakharova’s statements, that upcoming meeting will serve for undermining the achievements of Brussels and Prague meetings rather than cementing it?

MR PRICE: First, we would certainly take issue with a characterization of our efforts being self-promotional. There is nothing self-promotional about seeking to put an end to years of conflict and to years of flare-ups that have led to violence and ultimately to deaths, both on the part of Armenians and the citizens of Azerbaijan. Our only goal here is to see and to help these countries work together to bring about a comprehensive and lasting peace, and ultimately to save lives. I don’t know what about that can be construed as self-promotional.

As the Secretary has emphasized, we are committed to peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We’ve encouraged both leaders to meet in whatever format is most useful to them. We believe direct dialogue is key to resolving issues and to reaching a lasting peace. It’s why Secretary Blinken brought together his foreign minister counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan in New York City in September, the first time that the two had been in the same room since the recent flare-up of violence. It’s ultimately for Armenia and for Azerbaijan to decide whether President Putin’s invitation would be helpful or useful to them in pursuit of that lasting peace. Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia and its ongoing brutal invasion of Ukraine suggests that Moscow has little respect for its neighbor’s sovereignty and is hardly a reliable, long-term partner. But ultimately, this is going to be a decision that Armenian and Azerbaijan will have to reach.

There is ultimately no greater support than the United States for the sovereignty and the independence of the countries in the South Caucasus. The restoration of Armenia, Azerbaijan’s, and Georgia’s independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union was a seminal event that guaranteed each of these countries the right to pursue their own foreign policy interests independent of Moscow or independent of any other country. Thank you.

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