Newly appointed US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations to visit Baku next week

Newly-appointed US Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Lewis Bono will travel to the region next week, Azernews reports, citing US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.

“He will visit all three South Caucasus countries as part of his visit. He will travel to Baku, Yerevan, and Tbilisi as well, in that order,” Price noted.

The official stressed that these will be the first of what is expected to be regular travels to all three countries of the South Caucasus. He also added that Bono plans to meet with senior leaders to support the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and United States' sustained commitment to Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We are encouraged by recent efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage productively in the peace process. And Mr. Bono hopes to be in a position to build on that effort and to see that progress continue. In all three of these cities, Mr. Bono will emphasize that the United States is committed to promoting a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future for the South Caucasus region,” Price added.

Notably, the last Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Philip Reeker announced his retirement on January 5, 2023.

To recap, the recent joint meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was in Munich on February 19.