Pashinyan shares impressions of meeting Erdogan in call with Blinken

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday, October 10 and shared his impressions of the meeting with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Prague earlier in the month.

In conversation with Blinken, Pashinyan highly appreciated the efforts of the American side aimed at eliminating the consequences of the aggression unleashed by the Azerbaijani armed forces against the sovereign territory of Armenia on September 13-14 and highlighted the consistent steps in that direction.

“The parties emphasized the necessity of the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the unconditional maintenance of the ceasefire regime,” Pashinyan’s office said in a statement.

“The two referred to the results of the quadrilateral meeting of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of France, the President of the European Council and the President of Azerbaijan held in Prague on October 6. The development of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the UN Charter and the 1991 declaration of Alma-Ata, as well as the implementation of border demarcation works and ensuring the activities of the EU civil mission on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border were highlighted.”

The sides reffered to the security and protection of rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, the creation of an international mechanism for discussions between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, and the return of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan.

The Prime Minister also shared his impressions of the meeting with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to a statement from the Department of State, Blinken expressed appreciation for the positive steps Armenia and Azerbaijan are taking towards reaching a sustainable peace agreement, including direct talks between the foreign ministers and leaders.

He urged Prime Minister Pashinyan to continue to work with Azerbaijan on time-bound and measurable steps to support the peace process.

“Secretary Blinken reiterated U.S. support, including for clear border delimitation, transportation linkages, recovery and identification of missing persons, return of detainees, and other issues. Secretary Blinken also welcomed plans for a civilian EU mission along the border with Azerbaijan to build confidence,” the Department of state said.

“He underscored the importance of discussions around 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.”