U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Tina S. Kaidanow discussed the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict with representatives of the Azerbaijani civil society in Baku on Oct.23. “This is Ms. Kaidanow’s first visit to Azerbaijan as Deputy Assistant Secretary and it is more of familiarization character. Kaidanow was interested in civil opinion on all these issues,” Co-chair of the International Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Arzu Abdullayeva told Trend News.

Representatives of the Azerbaijani NGOs familiarized Kaidanow with the civil society’s interest in the rapid settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and this is the only general agreement between the authorities and civil society, Abdullayeva said. “We have informed Kaidanow that no one in Azerbaijan agrees with loss of the Nagorno-Karabakh, as this is our land,” Abdullayeva added.

During her two-day visit, Kaidanow is expected to hold meetings in the ministries of foreign affairs and finance, as well as to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the U.S. embassy in Baku told Trend News. Diplomat Tina Kaidanow replaced Matthew Bryza as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in August 2009. This is Ms. Kaidanow’s first visit to Azerbaijan as Deputy Assistant Secretary.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.