BAKU/YEREVAN. May 3 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan discussed normalizing relations between Baku and Yerevan at a meeting in the U.S. on Wednesday, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
"On May 3, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Jake Sullivan, national security advisor to the U.S. president. As part of his working visit to the U.S., Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan took part in the meeting, the main subjects of which were dedicated to the process of normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia," the ministry said in a statement.
Bayramov said during the meeting that "Azerbaijan, as an initiator of the main elements of the peace process with Armenia, is interested in establishing peace and stability in the region," and emphasized the importance of coordinating and signing a peace treaty. He noted the importance of Yerevan refraining from taking actions "aimed at violating Azerbaijan's territorial integrity." The minister emphasized that "the reintegration of Armenians residing in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is an internal matter for the country, and the Armenian side's interference in efforts in this area is unacceptable."
"The fact that, contrary to obligations assumed by Armenia, as well as Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, the Armenian Armed Forces have not been fully withdrawn from Azerbaijani territory is a source of serious threat," the foreign minister said.
Sullivan, for his part, said that the U.S. is interested in ensuring peace and stability in the region and the successful conclusion of talks on a peace treaty, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry's press service said that Mirzoyan had pointed out at the meeting that "Azerbaijan's aggressive policy in relation to Nagorno-Karabakh and occupation of Armenia's sovereign territory do not help with efforts to establish stability in the region."
"The Armenian foreign minister emphasized that Azerbaijan's actions with respect to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, and the expressions of intolerance and open threats to use force voiced at the highest level, indicate the intention and real threat of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. It was noted that the withdrawal of troops, delimitation between the countries on the basis of the Almaty declaration, and the solution of issues around the rights and security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh under the internationally guaranteed dialogue mechanism are the key element in a comprehensive settlement and lasting stability in the region," the ministry said.