Secretary of State Blinken Calls on Aliyev to Sign Peace Deal with Armenia, Release All Those Unjustly Detained

WASHINGTON, DC — Armenia and Azerbaijan should promptly conclude negotiations on a bilateral U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in a phone call late on Thursday.

“The Secretary recognized ongoing progress by Armenia and Azerbaijan toward a peace agreement and underscored the significance of concluding an agreement without delay,” the U.S. State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller, said in a statement on the call. “He reiterated the United States remains willing to support further engagement in any way useful to the parties.”

Emphasizing the importance of the U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral relationship, the Secretary highlighted constructive cooperation with Azerbaijan on the shared climate and energy goals, adding the United States was committed to helping make COP29 a success.

He called for a renewed and stronger bilateral relationship between the United States and Azerbaijan.

He again urged Azerbaijan to adhere to its international human rights obligations and commitments and releasing all those unjustly detained. He called on Azerbaijan to do so expeditiously.

Aliyev was reported to reiterate, for his part, that the signing of the peace treaty is conditional on Armenia changing its constitution and other laws which he said contain territorial claims to Azerbaijan.