Senator: Baku-Yerevan peace important for Central Asia

The peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has important geopolitical significance for Central Asia, Senator (Republican from Montana) Steve Daines said at a hearing in the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Report informs.

He noted that the US opponents are undermining Washington's enhanced cooperation with the Central Asian countries.

"And clearly, that breakthrough peace agreement that President Trump led between Azerbaijan and Armenia is one of these moments. It"s been under-reported, in my opinion, under-appreciated, but significant geopolitically in the ramifications it will have for Central Asia," the politician said.

Daines touched on the issue that the US is "turning the page from the last administration" by considering real investments and closer cooperation.

He also noted that establishing strong relations between the US and the Central Asian countries is crucial for American national security.

On August 8, a trilateral summit of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the US was held in Washington. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a 7-point joint declaration and initialed the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations with the mediation of Donald Trump.

In addition, the leaders of Azerbaijan and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Baku and Washington on the establishment of a Strategic Working Group to prepare a Charter of Strategic Partnership between the two sides.

At the same time, Trump signed a document on the suspension of the implementation of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.