We Repeat Our Call to Azerbaijani Forces to Return to Their Original Positions: US Mission in the OSCE

The US Mission to the OSCE has addressed the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the United States remains deeply engaged in helping Armenia and Azerbaijan work towards a comprehensive peace agreement.

The mission reminded that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met at the White House on September 27 with Azerbaijani President's Advisor Hikmet Hajiyev and Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan to promote the peace process. On October 4, Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a trilateral conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, during which he encouraged building trust and further progress in their negotiations.

Secretary Blinken also expressed gratitude for the positive steps taken by Armenia and Azerbaijan towards reaching a sustainable peace agreement, including highlighting the return of 17 military captives from Azerbaijan to Armenia.

"We continue to encourage Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve outstanding issues at the negotiating table. Without reconciliation, there will be no lasting peace, and diplomacy is the only way to achieve this goal. The horrific video that surfaced on social media last weekend, showing Azerbaijani armed forces carrying out executions of unarmed Armenian captives, must be thoroughly and impartially investigated. Those responsible for any violence against detainees must be held accountable.

We take note of the investigation initiated by the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan and remind the parties to uphold their commitments to rapidly return all military captives and treat detainees in accordance with their international obligations.

The ceasefire violations on September 13, 14, and 28 have raised significant concerns for the United States. The United States encourages Armenia and Azerbaijan to strictly maintain a sustainable ceasefire, withdraw and distance their armed forces, and continue negotiations regarding the delimitation of borders to support peaceful resolution.

We repeat our call to Azerbaijani forces to return to their original positions prior to the outbreak of hostilities on the night of September 12. Border disputes must be resolved through negotiation, not violence. The deaths of Armenian soldiers and Azerbaijani civilians from mines over the past week clearly and tragically demonstrate the ongoing human toll of this conflict," the statement reads.

The statement also notes that the United States strongly supports the activation of OSCE confidence-building and conflict prevention tools, including the establishment of a Fact-Finding Mission, as requested by Armenia.

"We call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to take urgent steps to de-escalate tensions, build confidence, and hold themselves accountable to their international obligations. We encourage further progress on the resolution of the missing persons issue and the return of all remaining military captives. The United States supports a comprehensive peace process and is committed to working bilaterally with close partners like the European Union and international organizations like the OSCE," the statement concludes.