On Wednesday, September 27, Administrator Samantha Power traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan and met with President Ilham Aliyev. The Administrator was joined by Acting Assistant Secretary Yuri Kim, and Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations, Louis Bono. The focus of the group's discussion was the urgent humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The meeting follows Administrator Power and Acting Assistant Secretary Kim's visit to Yerevan and areas near the border with Azerbaijan, where more than 50,000 ethnic Armenians have crossed into Armenia from Nagorno-Karabakh in the past few days.
The Administrator stressed the urgency of allowing unhindered humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh, including those stuck in the Lachin Corridor, and the urgent need for expanded access for humanitarian groups.
They discussed the need for international monitors on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh to verify that people's rights are being respected, and that cultural and religious sites are protected. The Administrator noted President Aliyev's commitment to protect the rights and safety of ethnic Armenians, and the two discussed steps that would demonstrate the Azerbaijani Government's intention to uphold that commitment. Administrator Power reiterated the importance of respecting Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Finally, they spoke about the importance of the parties recommitting to long term peace negotiations and the United States' continued willingness to support that process.
