Blinken To Meet Bayramov, Mirzoyan, To Kick Off 'Very Sensitive' Diplomatic Discussions Today

Washington D.C./27.06.23/Turan:    U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinen will meet with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at a State Department diplomatic facility outside Washington this afternoon, Baku time, to kick off what's expected to be a three-days long "very sensitive diplomatic discussion," as officials put it, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

As TURAN reported earlier, the closed-door discussions will be held far from the spotlight at the State Department’s George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center.

Blinken first will sit down with Mirzoyan and then — some 40 minutes after — will greet Bayramov for a separate meeting.

At about 6pm, Baku time, Blinken will attend an opening plenary session with both ministers.

"We expect the talks will ...continue through Thursday of this week," State Department's spokesperson Matthew Miller told a Monday press briefing when responding to TURAN's questions.

When asked if Washington had any new instructions or directions for this week's talks, Miller told TURAN's correspondent, "We certainly have a number of items we want to discuss. I’m not going to read those out publicly, obviously. They’re very sensitive diplomatic discussions that will take place here."

The spokesperson went on to add, "We continue to believe that peace is within reach and direct dialogue is the key to resolving the remaining issues and reaching a durable and dignified peace."

Blinken is expected to attend the closing ceremony of the ministers' meeting on Thursday, June 29.

Alex Raufoglu