I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ambassador James Warlick as the next U.S. Co-Chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group.

Ambassador Warlick brings extensive experience in Europe and Eurasia to this position. He most recently served as Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and lead negotiator for the Bilateral Security Agreement with Afghanistan. He served as Ambassador to Bulgaria from 2009-2012, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs from 2006 to 2009, and Director of the Office of European Security and Political Affairs from 2005 to 2006.

He is a first-rate diplomat, and I am confident that he will do a tremendous job in this critical post.

The United States remains firmly committed to helping the sides reach a lasting and peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In their joint statement on June 18, Presidents Obama, Putin, and Hollande called on the sides to focus with renewed energy on the issues that remain unresolved, and noted that the leaders should prepare their people for peace, not war. Ambassador Warlick has the wisdom, judgment, and expertise to help the sides achieve that goal.

We have informed the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the OSCE of Ambassador Warlick’s appointment.

Ambassador Warlick will assume his new position in September.