On April 3, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, made a phone call to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijani media reports.
Antony Blinken said he received reports that the trilateral meeting between the US, the European Union, and Armenia on April 5 had caused concern on the Azerbaijani side, and stressed the importance of clarifying the issue by speaking with President Ilham Aliyev regarding this matter.
The Secretary of State pointed out that the main focus of the mentioned meeting will be on the economic development issues of Armenia.
Aliyev highlighted that, based on the information he received, discussions during the preparation process for the trilateral meeting included topics such as military support to Armenia, joint military exercises, the establishment of military infrastructure along border areas with Azerbaijan, and Armenia's arming through the EU's European Peace Facility and funded by the US budget. The head of state emphasized that such steps carrying an anti-Azerbaijan nature, including the policy of arming Armenia by France, will exacerbate arms race in the region and lead to provocations.
During the telephone conversation, Antony Blinken underlined that the meeting on April 5 is not against Azerbaijan.
Discussions were also held regarding peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev said that the negotiations held in Berlin by the foreign ministers regarding the text of the peace agreement were beneficial in terms of advancing the process, and emphasized the need to accelerate the negotiations.
In addition, the head of state emphasized that the accusations voiced in the West about Azerbaijan intending to attack Armenia are completely baseless.
Aliyev stated that the French Minister of Foreign Affairs told lies during a press conference held with Antony Blinken in Paris on April 2 by accusing Azerbaijan of not recognizing Armenia's territorial integrity and posing a threat to Armenia.
The head of state highlighted Azerbaijan's adherence to the statement adopted during the Prague meeting in 2022 and the Almaty Declaration.
According to President Ilham Aliyev, the non-transparent preparation, lack of inclusivity, and failure to postpone the trilateral meeting scheduled for April 5 between the United States, the European Union, and Armenia, despite Azerbaijan's justified concerns, will lead to escalation of tension and creation of new dividing lines rather than peace and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
During the telephone conversation, issues of bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and the USA were also touched upon.
