WASHINGTON, DC — A renewed escalation of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan is unacceptable to the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a phone call late on Tuesday.
In an ensuing statement on the call, the U.S. State Department spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, said the two men discussed “shared interests as strategic partners.”
“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,” she said. “The Secretary and Prime Minister agreed that escalation of any form in the South Caucasus is unacceptable.”
Pashinyan and Rubio spoke amid what many in Armenia see as an increased risk of an Azerbaijani attack. Throughout last week the Azerbaijani military accused Armenian forces of violating the ceasefire at various sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The Armenian side denied the accusations. Local commentators suggested that Baku may thus be preparing the ground for military action against Armenia or trying to clinch more Armenian concessions.