President Ilham Aliyev, US State Secretary hold phone talk

On September 19, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

During the telephone conversation, the sides exchanged views on the current situation in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

The head of state pointed out that the intelligence-sabotage groups of the Armenian armed forces in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan had planted mines for the purpose of terrorism, as a result of which civilians and police officers were killed, and the units of the Azerbaijan army were subjected to fire from mortars and small arms of various calibers.

President Ilham Aliyev stressed that these actions, including the so-called "presidential elections" in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on September 9, were a continuation of deliberate provocations against the sovereignty of Azerbaijan by Armenia and the so-called separatist institution established and supported by it.

The President of Azerbaijan said that in order to prevent such provocative and inciting actions, Azerbaijan had to launch local anti-terror measures in the region.

The head of state emphasized that during the anti-terror measures, civilian population and infrastructure facilities are not being targeted, only legitimate military targets are incapacitated.

The head of state mentioned that representatives of the Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan had been invited to a dialogue several times by the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan to discuss reintegration issues, but they refused, however, they were invited to a dialogue again when the local anti-terror measures continued. The head of state said that anti-terror measures will be stopped if the weapon is laid down and disarmed.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern about the situation, called for a ceasefire and said that the United States supports direct dialogue between Baku and representatives of the Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region.