Pashinyan and Blinken Discuss Armenia-US Bilateral Relations and Border Delimitation with Azerbaijan

YEREVAN — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a telephone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the weekend.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to the agenda of Armenia-US bilateral relations, the April 5 meeting in Brussels, as well as the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process, it said.

Pashinyan expressed satisfaction with the progressing Armenia-US bilateral relations and also highlighted the implementation of the agreements reached in Brussels on April 5, stressing that these agreements were expressed in the press release after the meeting, and the meeting did not have any secret agenda.

He also spoke positively about the process of demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border, emphasizing that the concerns of the residents of Voskepar, Kirants and Berkaber villages of Tavush marz are understandable and everything will be done to address these concerns.

The interlocutors stressed the importance of the agreements reached during the quadrilateral meeting in Prague on October 6, 2022 in the context of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process. The recognition of each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty by Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of the Alma-Ata Declaration, as well as the implementation of the delimitation and demarcation process on the basis of the same declaration pave the way for the signing of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Crossroads of Peace project was also discussed. Pashinyan once again emphasized that it corresponds to the agreements reached in Brussels in July 2023 between the head of the European Council Charles Michel, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and himself that regional communications should be opened on the basis of sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries, on the principles of equality and reciprocity. These agreements are reflected in Michel’s statement following the above-mentioned meeting.

The U.S. State Department said in a press release that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to reaffirm U.S. support for progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan on a durable and dignified peace agreement.

Secretary Blinken reiterated that the United States welcomes Armenia and Azerbaijan agreement to use the Alma Ata Declaration as a basis for border delimitation.  Secretary Blinken noted ongoing U.S. efforts to support Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for Prime Minister Pashinyan’s vision for a prosperous, democratic, and independent future for Armenia.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also spoke by phone with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The Secretary commended President Aliyev for last week’s announcement that Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to use the 1991 Alma Ata declaration as the basis for border delimitation and emphasized its importance to the two sides concluding a durable and dignified peace.

The Secretary urged President Aliyev to keep up the momentum with his Armenian counterpart, reiterating U.S. willingness to support those efforts.