U.S. Seeks to Restart Azerbaijani-Armenia Bilateral Talks — State Department

In a bid to restart direct negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia amid recent setback, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and he is expected to speak to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "in the coming days," the State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told TURAN's Washington correspondent.

Blinken and Pashinyan discussed steps to restart bilateral talks with Azerbaijan. "The Secretary expressed deep concern for the worsening humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting from the blockage of the Lachin corridor," the State Department said in a readout. "He also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to support efforts toward a lasting peace and to our strong multifaceted bilateral relationship."

Asked by TURAN whether the Secretary was trying to "test the waters" with the sides to see if there’s any appetite for the next round of dialogue, Price told a daily press briefing that they were "going to do what is ultimately most helpful."

He went on to elaborate: "At the end of last year, there were a couple meetings that the Secretary chaired between his counterparts, a trilateral meeting between Armenia, Azerbaijan, with Secretary Blinken in the middle. We did that at Blair House. We did that in New York. Of course, we’ve seen setbacks when it comes to Nagorno-Karabakh of late. We want to see constructive dialogue put back on track."

According to Price, the U.S. 'stands ready' to engage bilaterally.  "We stand ready to engage with and through partners, through the OSCE or, if and when appropriate, trilaterally, as we have done in the past," he added.

TURAN's correspondent also asked Price about the format of the next potential meeting: "We are going to do what is most effective at the right time," he said in response.

Ambassador Philip Reeker, the former top State Department official in charge of Caucasus negotiations, recently retired from the foreign service after an illustrious 30-year career just last week. But, according to Price, there are "a number of individuals" at the State Department who are "deeply invested in this process, not the least of whom is Secretary Blinken himself."

"This is a personal priority of [Secretary Blinken]. But people like Toria Nuland, people like Karen Donfried, people like a number of the senior officials in our Bureau of European and Eurasian affairs, will remain deeply engaged in this"

As for Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is "for them to decide" who is going to be behind the other side of the table, Price said in response to TURAN's questions.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.