Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on the latter’s initiative.
The American side congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on the victory of the “Civil Contract” party in the elections, emphasizing the consistent steps taken by the Armenian government in recent years to ensure Armenia’s democratic achievements. In this context, the US Secretary of State praised Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to resolve the pre-election tension in the country in a peaceful way and to build civilized relations with the opposition.
Anthony Blinken stressed the importance of the reform agenda of the Armenian government, in particular in the fight against corruption and in the field of justice, adding that the United States is ready to continue its assistance in this direction.
At the same time, he noted that the partnership between the two countries is based on democratic values.
Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed gratitude for assessing Armenia’s achievements in the direction of democratic reforms. He praised the US continued support for strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law in Armenia, as well as the launch of a police patrol in Yerevan. Nikol Pashinyan noted that the Patrol Service will be expanded throughout the country in the future, expressing hope that American assistance will enable the completion of this process. The Acting Prime Minister praised the efforts of Deputy Secretary of State Philip Reeker in the return of Armenian captives from Azerbaijan a month ago. The return of the captives and the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia were discussed.
The Secretary of State assured that the United States will continue its efforts to ensure the return of all prisoners of war. Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Secretary of State strongly emphasized the resumption of the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, stressing the need to develop a clear agenda for the peace process, which will enable a lasting, lasting solution to the conflict.
In this context, Nikol Pashinyan stressed that the conflict is not settled and demands a comprehensive solution, which can be achieved only within the framework of the Minsk Group co-chairing.
The US side stated that it agrees with the acting Prime Minister’s observation that the status quo cannot be stable. The Minsk Group co-chairs need a clear agenda that will contribute to the success of the talks.
