Azerbaijan-Armenia: Washington 'Looks Forward To' Hosting Another Round Of Talks, State Department Says

Washington D.C./06.06.23/Turan:  The State Department on Monday confirmed reports about forthcoming Azerbaijan-Armenia peace talks in the U.S. capital, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"We look forward to hosting another round of talks in Washington later this month as the parties continue to pursue a peaceful future for the South Caucasus region," Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told a daily press briefing while responding to TURAN's questions.

The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan, are expected to visit Washington, second time in less than two months, at the invitation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

While the State Department didn't offer any details about the date and venue of the upcoming meeting, TURAN has learned from diplomatic sources that the ministers are expected to resume their closed-door discussions, once again, far from the spotlight — most likely at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, as early as next Monday.

"As you’ve heard me say before, direct dialogue is key to resolving issues and reaching a durable and dignified peace," Patel told TURAN's correspondent, adding: "The U.S. is pleased that talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan are proceeding in different venues, including the recent meeting of leaders as well,"

When asked about Washington's level of optimism and if there was any concern about the current state of the peace process, Patel refrained from offering anything other than "we look forward to hosting these governments..."

Alex Raufoglu