The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia convened from May 1 to 4, 2023, in Arlington, Virginia, USA, with the aim of normalizing their bilateral relations. The talks were held at the George Shultz National Center for Foreign Affairs Studies, with the attendance of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
During the meeting, Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov of Azerbaijan and his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan exchanged opinions on the current situation and discussed issues related to the normalization of their relations. Although they came to a consensus on certain aspects of the draft bilateral Agreement on Peace and Establishment of Interstate Relations, they still held differing views on crucial matters, stated Azerbaijan’s MoFA.
The ministers expressed their appreciation to the US for hosting the talks and agreed to continue their discussions. The meeting marked a significant step towards resolving the longstanding territorial dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region between the two nations.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan began in the late 1980s and early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. It resulted in a territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been under the control of ethnic Armenians since the early 1990s.
The recent talks between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia demonstrate a commitment to resolving their differences peacefully. Further progress is expected towards a lasting peace agreement and the resolution of the protracted conflict in the region.
Next round of bilateral negotiations between the Foreign Minister of #Azerbaijan @Bayramov_Jeyhun and Armenian FM @AraratMirzoyan has ended in Arlington.
— MFA Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 (@AzerbaijanMFA) May 4, 2023
Secretary of State @SecBlinken met with the parties and hosted a closing session. pic.twitter.com/r6itMdNQ14
