The U.S. will remain committed to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a phone talk with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

In their first conversation since Tillerson’s confirmation as a Secretary of State, Nalbandian wished him success, also expressing hope for a renewed impetus in boosting the Armenia-U.S. ties.

Tillerson, in turn, stated that the new U.S. administration values the close relationship between the two countries and is committed to their further strengthening.

The officials next touched upon issues on the bilateral agenda, discussing a number of pressing regional and international topics. Tillerson thanked his counterpart for Armenia’s significant contribution to the international peacekeeping efforts.

He also expressed appreciation to the government of Armenia for receiving and sheltering tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.

Nalbandian and Tillerson exchanged views on possible steps to advance the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Foreign Minister briefed Tillerson on the recent developments along the conflict zone, stressing the need to implement agreements reached during the 2016 Vienna and Saint Petersburg summits.

Secretary Tillerson reassured Nalbandian that the United States will continue to support the peaceful resolution of the conflict.