Blinken appoints new advisor for Caucasus negotiations - Dept of State

WASHINGTON. Aug 25 (Interfax) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appointed Philip Reeker as the Department of State senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations, the department said in a statement.

"I am appointing Ambassador Philip T. Reeker as Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations. In this capacity, Ambassador Reeker will serve as U.S. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair and lead negotiator for the U.S. delegation to the Geneva International Discussions during this critical period," the statement quoted Blinken as saying.

"The United States is committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan negotiate a long-term political settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the statement said.

"Ambassador Reeker will engage bilaterally, with like-minded partners such as the European Union, and through his role as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, to facilitate direct dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan," it said.

Previously, Andrew Schofer was serving as the senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations. The Department of State did not say why he had been replaced.