Another meeting of foreign ministers will take place in coming weeks
Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhum Bayramov, on Monday met in Washington, where they were hosted by Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Blair House, adjacent to the White House.
At the close of the meeting, Mirzoyan and Bayramov agreed to expedite negotiations and organize another meeting in coming weeks.
Both sides reportedly discussed various elements of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, while acknowledging that there were a range of issue that still needed addressing.
The two top diplomats also reiterated the commitments undertaken by the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in separate statements made in Prague on October 6 and in Sochi on October 31. In these statements, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan agreed that their countries will respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Despite these agreements, as well as the meeting between Mirzoyan and Bayramov, Aliyev on Tuesday went on a threat-filled tirade against Armenia in remarks he made in occupied Shushi, marking “Azerbaijan’s victory” after the 44-Day War.
Prior to the Mirzoyan-Bayramov meeting, Blinken, in remarks, said that direct dialogue is the best way to “truly durable peace.”
“The United States is committed to the peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Direct dialogue is the best way to a truly durable peace, and we are very pleased to support that,” Blinken said. “The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial independence of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the 1991 restoration of independence was a vitally important moment in guaranteeing the rights of both countries, rights that we strongly support.”
“I think it’s also fair to say that 30-plus years of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh have had tremendous human, material costs – lives lost, scars that are deep. But what we are seeing now are real steps, and courageous steps, by both countries to put the past behind and to work toward a durable peace. Both countries are working to that end and to, ultimately, a brighter future for the South Caucasus – a future of peace, countries at peace, countries working together for a better future,” Blinken added.
He added that “the United States, as a friend to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, is committed to doing everything that we can to support you in this effort; to walk the path to a durable peace with you, to help in any way that we can.”
“This is, I think, the promise of a better, brighter future. And I applaud both of you and your governments for the courage and determination that you’re showing to get to that destination,” said the Secretary of State in remarks directed at Mirzoyan and Bayramov.
State Department spokesperson Ned Prince said that Mirzoyan-Bayramov meeting with Blinken “underscores Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s serious pursuit of peace through intensified dialogue. The United States remains committed to supporting a peaceful South Caucasus region.”
The European Union’s representative to the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar, on Tuesday said he was encouraged by the meeting in Washington.
“Important meeting took place yesterday between Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Washington. It is encouraging that Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov are engaged in a substantive process of negotiations for a bilateral peace treaty,” Klaar wrote on Twitter.
Before meeting with Blinken, Mirzoyan and Bayramov met with the Erika Olson, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Philip Reeker.
