UPDATE - Azerbaijani leader holds meeting with US diplomat on normalization with Armenia

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, REVISES HEADLINE

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The president of Azerbaijan exchanged views with a senior US diplomat on Monday about the South Caucasus country's normalization of ties with Armenia and negotiations for a peace treaty between them.

"At the meeting, views were exchanged on the meeting held in Washington at the level of foreign ministers regarding the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and negotiations on a peace treaty," the office of President Ilham Aliyev said in a statement.

It added that Philip Reeker, US senior advisor for Caucasus negotiations, conveyed the greetings of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with Aliyev "expressed his gratitude for the greetings" and responding in kind.

"US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's constant attention to the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan was highly appreciated," the statement further noted.

Earlier this month, Blinken hosted talks in Washington between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers on a possible peace treaty between the two countries.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

In fall 2020, Baku liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation in 44 days of clashes that ended in a Moscow-brokered truce. The peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.

- Aliyev committed to EU-facilitated format

Separately, the EU's special representative for the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar, reflected on talks held on Nov. 17 between Aliyev and an EU delegation.

While noting that many challenges remain, Klaar said on Twitter that Aliyev had committed to the "EU-facilitated format" of talks with Armenia.

"Restraint and strong political will be needed by Azerbaijan and Armenia to reduce tensions to achieve a comprehensive settlement," he added.

Aliyev had received the EU delegation led by Dirk Schuebel, the bloc's special envoy for its Eastern Partnership initiative, pointing out the need to modernize bilateral talks under the EU effort.