Azernews.Az

President Ilham Aliyev has said that the Azerbaijani delegation is ready to start negotiations on a peace agreement with Armenia.

He made the remarks while receiving a delegation led by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State overseeing policy for Southern Europe and the Caucasus Erika Olson.

During the meeting, they discussed regional issues, the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the preparation of a peace agreement, as well as the opening of communications.

The head of state pointed to the devastation Armenia unleashed on Azerbaijani territories during the almost 30 years of occupation, the destruction of material and cultural traditions, including more than 60 mosques, and their use as stables.

He noted that Armenia had planted a large number of mines on the Azerbaijani territories during the occupation and stressed the problem of landmines the country was currently facing. He underlined the importance of U.S. support in this regard.

The president also stated that more than 4,000 Azerbaijanis had gone missing since the first Karabakh war, many of whom had been tortured, killed and buried in mass graves by Armenia.

Aliyev stressed the importance of providing information on the location of these cemeteries by Armenia, underlining the need for the support of the U.S. government in this regard.

Moreover, during the meeting, the parties also focused on the prospects for the development of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the United States. They noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The sides mentioned that during this period, successful cooperation has been established between the two countries, in particular in the energy sector.

They also exchanged views on ensuring lasting peace, stability and security in the region and other issues of mutual interest.

It should be noted that the delegation included U.S. State Department's Senior Adviser on Caucasus Negotiations Andrew Schofer, the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Earle Litzenberger, U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy.

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