The U.S. embassy in Azerbaijan has responded to the remarks of presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev, who claimed on August 27 that U.S. and French ambassadors to Baku have been ignoring Azerbaijan's invitation to visit Shushi, the Azerbaijani service of the Voice of America reports.

Shushi is an ancient Armenian city in Nagorno-Karabakh which fell under Azerbaijan's control during the Second Karabakh War.

A spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Baku said in a statement on Sunday, August 28 that Washington believes it can help achieve lasting and comprehensive peace through continued dialogue and engagement, including at the highest levels.

The statement added that embassy employees have visited "all the regions of Azerbaijan, including Aghdam, Zangilan and Fizuli." Said three regions too were captured during the 44-day war in the fall of 2022.

Hajiyev said during the visit of diplomats to Shushi that the ambassadors of France and the United States in Azerbaijan "ignored" the invitation, describing the move as "disrespect" for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.