Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyn held a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday. Pashinyan is scheduled to meet with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday in talks mediated by the President of the European Council Charles Michel.
Pashinyan and Blinken discussed the increasing tensions in Karabakh, the prime minister’s press service reported.
“Pashinyan presented the situation in Artsakh caused by the actions of the Azerbaijani units, the humanitarian issues and attached importance to the addressed reaction of the United States,” added the statement.
The United States voiced concern after Azerbaijani forces, on March 24, breached the line-of-contact and invaded the Parukh village in Artsakh’s Askeran region, from where they advanced onto the Karaglukh Heights, a strategic area, which was under the jurisdiction of the Russian peacekeeping contingent.
During Tuesday’s telephone conversation, Pashinyan and Blinken reportedly stressed the importance of ensuring stability and peace in the region, “emphasizing the importance of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs’ format.”
Pashinyan’s press office said the sides “referred to” the upcoming meeting with Aliyev in Brussels.
Armenia’s prime minister and the Secretary of State also exchanged views on the demarcation and delimitation of border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the possibility of unblocking communications in the region, as well as the ongoing dialogue between Armenia and Turkey.
The sides also referred to the processes taking place in the international arena, including the situation in Ukraine.
In discussing U.S.-Armenia relations, Pashinyan thanked the United States “for its support to Armenia in the democratic reforms, noting that the further strengthening of democracy is the policy adopted by the Armenian government.”