According to the U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, the two men discussed “the importance of advancing the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
“The Secretary underscored that there is no justification for increased tension on the [Armenian-Azerbaijani] border and cautioned that aggressive actions and rhetoric from any side would undermine prospects for peace,” Miller said in a statement.
Citing Aliyev’s office, Azerbaijani news agencies reported that Blinken sought to dispel Azerbaijani concerns about the trilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian slated for Friday. They said he assured Aliyev that the talks are “not directed against Azerbaijan” and will focus on Armenia’s domestic agenda.
Blinken and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet with Pashinian in Brussels amid Armenia’s deepening rift with Russia, its longtime ally. Moscow has also expressed serious concern about the talks.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry last week accused the West of siding with Yerevan in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and encouraging it to take “destabilizing actions.” Aliyev was reported to say during Wednesday’s call that “according to his information,” Blinken and von der Leyen are planning to discuss with Pashinian Western military assistance to Armenia.
“The accusations made in the West that Azerbaijan intends to attack Armenia are completely groundless,” Aliyev was quoted as saying. He singled out “false” claims made by French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne after talks with Blinken held in Paris on Tuesday.
“We spoke about the territorial integrity of Armenia which is today called into question by Azerbaijan,” Sejourne told a joint news conference with Blinken. He accused Baku of spreading “fake news” about Yerevan ratcheting up tensions along the border.
The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday and Monday that Armenia is massing troops and military hardware along the long border in possible preparation for “military provocations” there. The Armenian military dismissed the claim. An EU monitoring mission deployed on the Armenian side of the frontier likewise denied any Armenian military buildup there.
Some Armenian officials said that Baku itself could launch offensive military operations to try to scuttle the unprecedented Brussels talks.