Blinken Hosts Bayramov And Mirzoyan, Praises 'Real Steps' Towards Peace

As a fragile cease-fire holds, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday hosted Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan in Washington D.C. to pursue, as he put in, "very productive discussions that we initiated in New York at the UNGA and then in subsequent conversations between our teams."

Washington's historic Blair House, across the road from the White House, was the venue chosen for the Secretary’s meeting with the Ministers, TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports. The Blair House is used from time to time for high level diplomatic events.

Blinken, sitting beside his Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Ambassador Phil Reeker, Assistant Secretary of State Karen Donfried and her deputy Erika Olson, chaired the meeting.

In his opening statement, the secretary praised Armenia and Azerbaijan for taking "real steps, and courageous steps" to put the past behind and to work toward a durable peace.

The U.S, he said, is committed to the peace negotiations, as direct dialogue is "the best way to a truly durable peace, and we are very pleased to support that."

"The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial independence of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the 1991 restoration of independence was a vitally important moment in guaranteeing the rights of both countries, rights that we strongly support," he re-emphasized.

The Secretary went on to add, "I think it’s also fair to say that 30-plus years of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh have had tremendous human, material costs – lives lost, scars that are deep.  But what we are seeing now are real steps, and courageous steps, by both countries to put the past behind and to work toward a durable peace."

As per Blinken, both countries are working to that end and to, ultimately, a brighter future for the South Caucasus – a future of peace, countries at peace, countries working together for a better future.

He continued: "And I’d simply say that the United States, as a friend to both Armenia and Azerbaijan, is committed to doing everything that we can to support you in this effort; to walk the path to a durable peace with you, to help in any way that we can. This is, I think, the promise of a better, brighter future."

The Secretary also applauded both sides for "the courage and determination that you’re showing to get to that destination."

There was no immediate outcome of the Blair House meeting announced by the end of Monday. The State Department was expected to issue a readout of the meeting overnight.

In the meantime, TURAN has learned from multiple sources that the ministers agreed to continue the talks sometime end of November/early December, most likely in Łódź, Poland, on the margins of the OSCE Ministerial.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.