US Officials Visited Armenia on Monday to Discuss Military Cooperation

Representatives of the US armed forces visited Armenia on Monday to discuss enhancing military cooperation between the two countries, US Department of Defense spokesperson Peter Cook said in a briefing on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The spokesperson noted that officials form the US State Department joined the military representatives in the discussions.

"Lt. Gen Hedges and representatives from the Kansas National Guard were visiting Armenia, along with the [US] Ambassador as well… having conversations with their counterparts with Ministry of Defense in Armenia to talk about not only ongoing projects of military-to-military relations, but also for enhancing the military-to —military relationship," Cook stated.

Cook said he would not be surprised if the officials had also discussed the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, populated mostly by ethnic Armenians, proclaimed its independence from Azerbaijan in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In the 1992-94 conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which was supported by Armenia, Azerbaijan lost control over the disputed region.

The conflict reemerged in April of this year, with Armenia and Azerbaijan accusing each other of provocations and attacks.

On April 5, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in Moscow after Russia mediated an end to hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh.