State Department: Direct dialogue between leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia 'key to reaching a lasting peace'

Direct dialogue between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia is key to resolving issues and to reaching a lasting peace, US State Department Spokesman Ned Price told a briefing, commenting on the Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation to hold the next trilateral summit to discuss Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization.

Ned Price noted that the United States is committed to peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

"We’ve encouraged both leaders to meet in whatever format is most useful to them. We believe direct dialogue is key to resolving issues and to reaching a lasting peace. It’s why Secretary Blinken brought together his foreign minister counterparts from Armenia and Azerbaijan in New York City in September," Ned Price said.

According to him, it’s ultimately for Armenia and for Azerbaijan to decide 'whether President Putin’s invitation would be helpful or useful to them in pursuit of that lasting peace.'

"But ultimately, this is going to be a decision that Armenian and Azerbaijan will have to reach," he said.

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