Blinken: the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan can achieve a lasting peace

The US administration is confident that the current authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan can agree on a lasting peace, United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said ahead of a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Munich Security Conference. About it informs TASS.

“We believe that Azerbaijan and Armenia have a truly historic opportunity to establish a lasting peace after more than 30 years of conflict. The parties themselves have again focused on the peace process, including through direct negotiations, as well as with the EU and with us,” Blinken said.

According to him, the United States is ready to support these efforts in any format, both trilateral and with the participation of other international partners.

How informs Interfax, the meeting between Aliyev and Pashinyan with the participation of Blinken in Munich has been completed. The press service of the Armenian government reported that Pashinyan confirmed his readiness to sign a document that would guarantee long-term peace and stability in the region.

“The meeting touched upon the work around the draft peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the unblocking of regional transport communications and the implementation of delimitation between the two countries in accordance with the agreements reached in Prague,” the government said in a statement.

February 16 Pashinyan informedthat Armenia sent Azerbaijan new proposals for a peace agreement between the countries. The document was also sent to the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the prime minister added.

Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has blocked the Stepanakert-Goris highway in the Lachin corridor. This is the only transport artery that connects the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and Armenia. According to the Azerbaijani side, the pretext for blocking was the need to check the cargo for the export of gold from mines actually controlled by the NKR.

January 10 Pashinyan toldthat Yerevan sent proposals to Baku regarding a peace agreement, but the answer from the Azerbaijani authorities did not come. The Prime Minister of Armenia noted that it is important not only to sign a peace treaty, but also to comply with it. Pashinyan pointed to the violation of the tripartite agreement on ending the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, concluded between Armenia and Azerbaijan with the mediation of Russia on November 9, 2020.