Top Azerbaijani, Armenian diplomats to hold talks in Kazakhstan on May 10

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers will meet in the Kazakh city of Almaty on May 10 as part of the ongoing dialogue between the two countries to reach a peace agreement and demarcate their border.

Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesman Aybek Smadiyarov confirmed during a press briefing in the capital Astana that the meeting will take place on May 10 "in accordance with previously reached agreements."

The date has also been confirmed by the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministries.

Last Wednesday, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed Azerbaijan and Armenia’s agreement to hold talks at the level of foreign ministers in Almaty, expressing that it will serve to implement bilateral agreements and "contribute to the speedy establishment of a strong and long-term peace in the South Caucasus."

Relations between Baku and Yerevan have remained tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

Most of the territory was liberated by Azerbaijan during a 44-day war in the fall of 2020, which ended after a Russian-brokered peace agreement that opened the door to normalization and the demarcation of their border.

Last September, Azerbaijan established full sovereignty in Karabakh following an "anti-terrorist operation" after which separatist forces in the region surrendered.