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Azerbaijan, Armenia leaders talk face-to-face in first meeting in months

The leaders discussed progress on a draft peace treaty after tensions over a two-month blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only land route giving Armenia direct access to Karabakh.

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United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was also present in the meeting, said it was a "genuinely historic opportunity to secure an enduring peace after more than 30 years of conflict."

Azerbaijan and Armenia have held their first meeting between the leaders of the South Caucasus nations since October amid heightened tensions over the Karabakh region.

Saturday's talks between Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken took place during the three-day Munich Security Conference.

"I think Azerbaijan and Armenia need to demonstrate that the transition from long-lasting standoff, mutual hatred and hostility must end," Aliyev said on a panel discussion.

A peace agreement "could be a good example of how countries which had serious, historical disagreements can get together and turn the page of hostility."

"Prime Minister Pashinyan reaffirmed the determination of the Armenian side to reach the signing of such an agreement that will truly guarantee long-term peace and stability in the region," said a statement on the prime minister's website.

It added there had also been discussion about the unblocking of regional transport infrastructures and the implementation of delimitation between the two countries.

Russian news agencies reported that Aliyev said Baku had proposed creating checkpoints on the border with Armenia.

Face-to-face encounter

Saturday's meeting was the two leaders' first face-to-face encounter since late October, when Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted talks in the Black Sea city of Sochi.

A December 7 meeting in Brussels was scrapped.

"We believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan have a genuinely historic opportunity to secure an enduring peace after more than 30 years of conflict," Blinken said ahead of the meeting.

"The parties themselves have renewed their focus on a peace process, including through direct conversation as well as with the EU and ourselves," he added.

Karabakh is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but its 120,000 inhabitants are predominantly ethnic Armenians and it broke away from Baku in a first war in the early 1990s.

Azeri civilians identifying themselves as environmental activists have been facing off since December 12 with Russian peacekeepers on the Lachin corridor.

Yerevan says the protesters are government-backed agitators. Baku denies blockading the road, saying that some convoys and aid are allowed through.

SOURCE: Reuters