The leaders discussed progress on a draft peace treaty after tensions over a two-month blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia direct access to Karabakh.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have held their first meeting
between the leaders of the South Caucasus nations since October
amid heightened tensions over the Karabakh
region.
Saturday’s talks between Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime
Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took place during
the three-day Munich Security Conference.
“I think Azerbaijan and Armenia need to demonstrate that the transition from long-lasting standoff, mutual hatred and hostility must end,” Aliyev said on a panel discussion.
A peace agreement “could be a good example of how countries which had serious, historical disagreements can get together and turn the page of hostility.”
“Prime Minister Pashinyan reaffirmed the determination of
the Armenian side to reach the signing of such an agreement that
will truly guarantee long-term peace and stability in the
region,” said a statement on the prime minister’s website.
It added there had also been discussion about the unblocking
of regional transport infrastructures and the implementation of
delimitation between the two countries.
Russian news agencies reported that Aliyev said Baku had
proposed creating checkpoints on the border with Armenia.
READ MORE: US urges Azerbaijan, Armenia to resolve Lachin corridor impasse
Face-to-face encounter
Saturday’s meeting was the two leaders’ first face-to-face encounter since late October, when Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted talks in the Black Sea city of Sochi.
A December 7 meeting in Brussels was scrapped.
“We believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan have a genuinely historic opportunity to secure an enduring peace after more than 30 years of conflict,” Blinken said ahead of the meeting.
“The parties themselves have renewed their focus on a peace process, including through direct conversation as well as with the EU and ourselves,” he added.
Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of
Azerbaijan, but its 120,000 inhabitants are predominantly ethnic
Armenians and it broke away from Baku in a first war in the
early 1990s.
Azeri civilians identifying themselves as environmental
activists have been facing off since December 12 with Russian
peacekeepers on the Lachin corridor.
Yerevan says the protesters are government-backed agitators. Baku denies blockading the road, saying that some convoys and
aid are allowed through.
READ MORE:
Why is Lachin Corridor sparking tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia?
Source: Reuters
Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders talk face-to-face in first meeting in months
Source: News Achor Trending
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