“Both parties have made tangible progress towards a lasting peace agreement,” said the head of American diplomacy, who chairs the negotiations.
Armenia and Azerbaijan came closer on Thursday, May 4, to a peace agreement over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. The two Caucasian countries clashed in two wars, in the early 1990s and in 2020, for control of this mountainous region. Mainly populated by Armenians, it seceded from Azerbaijan more than three decades ago.
“Both sides have addressed some very difficult issues over the past few days and they have made tangible progress towards a lasting peace agreement.”said the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, after four days of discussions under the aegis of the United States in Arlington (Virginia).
“I believe so, that an agreement is in sight, within reach.”
Antony Blinken, US Foreign Ministerquoted by AFP
The US Secretary of State pointed out that “the pace of negotiations and the foundations laid” suggest concluding a peace agreement at a later date. “The last mile of a marathon is always the hardest. We all know that”said Antony Blinken, pledging the continued support of the United States for “crossing the finish line”.
No details have filtered out on the stumbling blocks, nor on the course of the discussions. In separate but identical statements, the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministries referred to “advanced” while indicating that “Positions on key issues remain divergent”. “The parties agree to continue discussions”they concluded.
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