US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on Sunday to underscore the importance of Azerbaijan-Armenia peace discussions and pledged continued U.S. support, the State Department reports.
Secretary Blinken shared his belief that peace was possible. He also expressed the United States’ deep concern that Azerbaijan’s establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor undermines efforts to establish confidence in the peace process, and emphasized the importance of reopening the Lachin corridor to commercial and private vehicles as soon as possible.
Secretary Blinken earlier spoke with Armenia’s Prime Minster Nikol Pashinyan. Secretary Blinken reiterated that direct dialogue and diplomacy are the only path to a durable peace in the South Caucasus. He expressed his appreciation for the Prime Minister’s continued commitment to the peace process.
