Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a telephone conversation with Secretary of Sate Antony Blinken and discussed his meeting last week in Prague with President Ilham Aliyev.
At the conclusion of the meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and the President of the Council of Europe Charles Michel, Armenia and Azerbaijan pledged to respect each other’s territorial integrity and agreed to have European Union-sponsored mission in the region.
Pashinyan reportedly praised efforts by the United States directed at eliminating Azerbaijan’s the consequences of the large scale attacks by Azerbaijan against Armenia’s sovereign territory on September 13 and 14, highlighting the ongoing efforts to that end.
“The parties emphasized the imperative for Azerbaijan to withdraw its forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the unconditional observing of the ceasefire regime,” said the statement issued by Pashinyan’s office.
The two discussed the Prague summit, which focused on advancing the issue of a so-called “peace treaty” with Azerbaijan, as well as continuing efforts to delimit and demarcate the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The EU’s mission at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border were also discussed.
“The sides referred to the security and protection of rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, the creation of an international mechanism for discussions between Stepanakert and Baku, and the return of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan,” said Pashinyan’s office.
Pashinyan also shared his impressions of the meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.
Antony Blinken expressed the United States’ readiness to continue to contribute to the negotiation process and peace and stability in the South Caucasus.
Blinken also held a similar conversation with Aliyev.
“Secretary Blinken expressed appreciation for the positive steps Azerbaijan and Armenia are taking towards reaching a sustainable peace agreement, including recent direct talks between the foreign ministers and leaders,” State Department Spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on his call with Aliyev.
“He underscored the importance of discussions about the rights and securities for the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and need for both sides to maintain the cease-fire and focus on a negotiated agreement as the only path to a lasting peace,” added Price.
