Deputy Prime Minister Suren Papikyan and U.S. ambassador to Yerevan Lynne Tracy met on Tuesday, September 28 and discussed a number of issues, including the construction of a new interstate road in Armenia's south, the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Papikyan said he appreciates the U.S. role in the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship, which is mandated to help the sides to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict reach an agreement.

The Deputy Prime Minister also stressed the developing ties between Armenia and the U.S., emphasizing the usefulness of American's involvement in a variety of areas, including infrastructure, water management, and energy, particularly green energy.

The two weighed in on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on public health and vaccination, which could help open the borders and ease travel restrictions.

Papikyan and Tracy also discussed the new road, which is being repaired as an alternative to the one that passes through territories currently under Azerbaijan's control. Papikyan revealed that a 44 km section is almost ready.