The PACE president called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to increase efforts for sustainable peace in the region

On October 10, at the PACE autumn session meeting in Strasbourg, Tiny Kox, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to increase efforts to resolve all differences and to contribute to the establishment of sustainable peace in the South Caucasus region. 

"I call on parliamentarians from Azerbaijan and Armenia to use the Assembly as a platform for discussing sensitive and important issues," he said. The President of PACE stated that the recent tense situation on the Azerbaijan-Armenia border hurt people. 

The US State Department appreciates the European leaders' bringing Azerbaijan and Armenia closer for direct dialogue

On October 7, the US State Department said: "We highly appreciate what the President of the European Union, Charles Michel, and French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as other European leaders, have done to bring Azerbaijan and Armenia closer to direct dialogue."

"The United States supports the steps taken by Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach a solid peace agreement and is committed to helping Armenia and Azerbaijan resolve issues peacefully," the State Department added. 

For his part, Vedant Patel, the Assistant State Department official, said in a traditional briefing on October 7 that Washington welcomes the efforts of French President Macron and European Council President Charles Michel to push for a comprehensive peace process. "We are particularly pleased with the progress of the European Union observer mission in the region, and this mission has the potential to strengthen confidence between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Patel said. 

"The United States also supports the efforts of Turkey and Armenia to normalize relations, which will create conditions for stability in the region," he stated. "The historic meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan and Turkish President Erdoğan in Prague was a significant event," said the representative of the State Department.

Antony Blinken Holds Conversation with Aliyev and Pashinyan

On October 10, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. This was stated by Ned Price, the Spokesman of the US State Department, regarding Blinken's telephone conversations with the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia. 

In the statements, State Secretary Antony Blinken expressed his high appreciation for the positive steps taken by Azerbaijan and Armenia in the direction of achieving a lasting peace agreement, including the recent direct talks between foreign ministers and leaders in a separate telephone conversation. Blinken welcomed Azerbaijan's handover of 17 prisoners of war to Armenia and urged continued time-limited measurable steps to support the peace process. It was noted that the US Secretary of State also urged Prime Minister Pashinyan to continue working with Azerbaijan on time-limited measurable steps to support the peace process. According to the statement, Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the support of the United States, including the precise delimitation of borders, transport links, search and identification of missing persons, return of prisoners, and other issues. It was said that Blinken also welcomed the plans to deploy the civilian mission of the European Union on the border with Azerbaijan to build trust. 

He stressed the importance of discussing rights and guarantees for the residents of [separatist] Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the importance of both sides supporting a ceasefire and focusing on a negotiated agreement as the only path to lasting peace.

According to the Press Service of the President of Azerbaijan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken characterized the recent meetings as positive steps towards a lasting peace agreement. "In this regard, he emphasized the importance of the meetings held at the level of foreign ministers in Geneva and the level of leaders in Prague. The Secretary of State also noted the importance of the meeting held between the representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the White House at the initiative of Jake Sullivan, the US President's National Security Adviser," the information stated. The report added that the State Secretary also touched on the importance of conducting peace treaty negotiations within a specific time frame and appreciated the discussions on ensuring the rights and security of the ethnic Armenian residents living in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Press Service noted that Antony Blinken noted the discovery of a mass grave in Azerbaijan and expressed his condolences to the head of our state.

In turn, President Ilham Aliyev positively assessed the first bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia held in Geneva. The head of state also expressed hope that the statement adopted as a result of the meeting held in Prague would contribute to the peace process. President Ilham Aliyev expressed his belief that if Armenia shows political will, a peace agreement can be signed by the end of this year. At the same time, Aliyev touched upon the meetings held between the representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia at the initiative of both Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan, evaluating them as steps toward peace. The President of Azerbaijan reminded that more than 3,900 of Azerbaijan's citizens were considered missing after the First Karabakh War and noted the importance of Armenia's providing information on the location of mass graves. President Ilham Aliyev asked the US Secretary of State to use his capabilities to help resolve this issue. The head of state said that the International Committee of the Red Cross has certain information about the locations of some mass graves based on witness statements and other information. The meeting also discussed the future development of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations.

According to the Press Service of the Armenian Prime Minister, the interlocutors discussed the results of the quadrilateral meeting of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of France, the President of the Council of the European Union, and the President of Azerbaijan in Prague on October 6. 

"Based on the UN Charter and the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991, the importance of preparing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan,  delimiting the border and ensuring the operation of the European Union's civilian mission on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, was emphasized. The parties also touched upon the issues of security, protection of the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, creation of an international mechanism for negotiations between Stepanakert and Baku, and the return of Armenian prisoners of war held in Azerbaijan. The parties also shared their impressions of the meeting of the Prime Minister of Armenia with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan," the report added. The Press Service of the Armenian government said that the United States is ready to continue contributing to the negotiation process and the establishment of peace and stability in the South Caucasus region.

Armenia and Azerbaijan Accuse Each Other of Violating Border

On October 9, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that Armenian armed forces units from the positions in the direction of the Yukhari Shorzha settlement of the Basarkechar region and the Khanazakh settlement of the Gorus region using various caliber weapons subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions, stationed in the direction of the Yellija settlement of the Kalbajar region on the evening of October 8 and the Malibey settlement of the Lachin region on the morning of October 9.

On the same day, the Armenian Defense Ministry stated that on the evening of October 8, the subdivisions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire from rifle weapons of different calibers in the direction of the Armenian positions located in the eastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The units of the RA Armed Forces stopped the enemy's fire with retaliatory actions. The message of the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan that allegedly the subdivisions of the RA Armed Forces opened fire in the direction of the Azerbaijani positions is another disinformation.

On October 10, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that on the evening of October 9, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions in the directions of the Yukhari Zaghali,  Istisu, Yukhari Shorzha, and Jil settlements of the Basarkechar region using various caliber weapons subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions, stationed in the directions of Alibayramli, Istisu and Zaylik settlements of the Kalbajar region and Novoivanovka settlement of the Gadabay region.

On the same day, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported that the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence has again spread disinformation, claiming that in the evening of October 9, the Armenian Armed Forces opened small arms fire at Azerbaijani military positions deployed in the eastern section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. According to the information, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is relatively stable, and no significant incidents have been recorded.

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Bayramov and Mirzoyan Hold Phone Call with Mediation of Antony Blinken

Aliyev and Pashinyan Meet in Prague

Armenian and Azerbaijani Sides again Accuse Each Other of Violating Border