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The United States is not competing with Russia in its efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told a press briefing on Monday.

“This is a question for the parties themselves, and we are not going to put ourselves against any other offer of mediation, and in fact we’re not a mediator.  We are a partner to the two countries. I think we have demonstrated both in word and in deed the nature of our relationship with the two countries, our ability to bring the two countries together, our willingness and readiness to help bring about additional progress in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” Price said when asked why the Western mediation is a better option given that Russian FM Sergey Lavrov recently called on the parties to stick to Moscow’s mediation. 

“We are not doing this as a means by which to compete with Moscow. We are doing this in an effort to bring about the settlement and resolution of a longstanding dispute between these two countries, and unfortunately a dispute that has consistently taken lives, just as it did on March 5th," the spokesman stated, referring to the Azeri ambush in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) which killed three Armenian police officers.

"Our interest here is in peace and security.  It’s in the interests of the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan as well,” Price added.