Blinken will talk to top Armenian, Azeri diplomats "in coming days"

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will re-engage by phone with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan "in the coming days", Department spokesperson Ned Price told a press briefing on Wednesday, January 4.

Price announced the retirement of Ambassador Philip Reeker from his role as the senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations, from the Foreign Service, and was asked who is the point person overseeing U.S. mediating efforts in the South Caucasus.

"Upon [Reeeker's] departure, this is an issue that will continue to receive attention from senior-level officials in this building. As you know, Secretary Blinken is personally invested in this process; he’s demonstrated that personal investment by bringing together his counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan by speaking with them regularly. I expect he’ll have an opportunity in the coming days to re-engage by phone with his counterparts in Armenia and Azerbaijan," Price said.

"Karen Donfried, our assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasian Affairs, also plays a leading role in these efforts. But it is something that we will remain committed to going forward."

For 25. days now, the sole road has been blocked by Azerbaijanis who claim to be environmentalists. Azerbaijan had also deprived the people of Karabakh of gas supplies.