President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received U.S. President’s special representative, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power, U.S Acting Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim and U.S. State Department's Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono.
During the meeting, they engaged in a discussion concerning the current situation arising from the counter-terrorism measures undertaken in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev highlighted that a substantial amount of military equipment, ammunition, and military provisions had been confiscated. He emphasized that military representatives accredited within the country, as well as representatives from the UN Resident Coordinator Office, had inspected the seized weapons and military equipment. President Aliyev underscored that the process of disarming illegal Armenian forces and their withdrawal from Azerbaijani territory is currently underway.
Furthermore, President Aliyev stressed that the anti-terrorism operations had been carried out without causing harm to the civilian population. The operations had specifically targeted illegal Armenian armed groups and military installations. Regarding the rights of Armenian residents in the Karabakh region, President Aliyev reiterated that, in line with Azerbaijan's national legislation and international commitments, their rights would be safeguarded, similar to the rights of other ethnic minorities residing in Azerbaijan.
President Aliyev informed the delegation about an ongoing reintegration dialogue between Azerbaijani representatives and the Armenian residents of Karabakh. He also mentioned that efforts to restore the region's infrastructure were in progress, with Azerbaijan providing humanitarian aid to Armenian residents and collaborating with the International Committee of the Red Cross for assistance.
Moreover, the head of state expressed readiness to facilitate a visit by the UN Resident Coordinator Office, accredited in Azerbaijan, to the Karabakh region in the near future. The conversation highlighted the significance of maintaining regional stability and engaging in dialogue with the local Armenian population.
