The U.S. embassy in Yerevan said in a Facebook post on Friday that Kvien traveled to Vayots Dzor “to meet with local officials and observe the security situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.”
“The Ambassador met with the Governor of Vayots Dzor, the EU Monitoring Mission, and local military representatives, joined by Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Lilit Makunts. Ambassador Kvien emphasized U.S. support for Armenia’s sovereignty and security, as well as lasting peace in the South Caucasus,” it said.
While in Vayots Dzor Ambassador Kvien also traveled to Jermuk “to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the city.” The embassy said that in Jermuk the U.S. ambassador met with the town’s mayor and hosted a roundtable with business owners “to discuss the local economy and tourism sector.”
“Ambassador Kvien was impressed with the beautiful natural landscape and outdoor activities that make Jermuk a popular tourist destination,” the report said.
Jermuk, an Armenian resort town close to the border with Azerbaijan, was shelled by Azerbaijani troops during last September’s deadly fighting. The escalation during which Azerbaijani forces advanced their positions closer towards Jermuk also affected the town’s businesses largely dependent on local and international tourism.
Ambassador Kvien, joined by the mayor of Jermuk, also reportedly visited a major mining project – Lydian’s Amulsar – to view their operations.
“The Amulsar project represents one of the biggest U.S. investments in Armenia and we are proud that it is deploying western mining standards. The United States supports Armenia’s economic development and opportunities for U.S. companies and investors to do business in a range of sectors,” the U.S. embassy’s said on Facebook.