Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a border between their two countries according to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien.

O’Brien stated the above while answering a question during a July 30 Senate Foreign Relations’ Europe and Regional Security Subcommittee hearing.

The U.S. official said that while the two countries have “agreed on where the border should be”, the demarcation process is ongoing.

“But I emphasize once again that this is a process on which both parties are working. We have made it very clear that if there is any change in the border, the agreed border should be applied unless both parties agree. Negotiations are underway on the peace treaty, as well as negotiations on other ways of demarcation,” O’Brien said.

He claimed that Russia continues to exert its influence in the region by convincing the parties that “there is no peace”.

O'Brien said United States supports the process of normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, arguing that a transit route via the South Caucasus allowing the countries of Central Asia to get their goods to the global market will reduce the role of Russia and China.

The official said the U.S. is creating conditions for Armenia to reduce its dependency on Russia.

“Armenia is almost completely dependent on Russia in terms of energy and economy. We need to diversify that, as well as the issue of border security,” O’Brien said, adding that Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has taken “bold steps” in this direction.

He accused Moscow of “turning its back on Armenia” in terms of security and that the U.S. wants to fill this void.

Photo: Associated Press Agency