Blinken, Armenian PM discuss steps to restart bilateral talks with Azerbaijan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Wednesday with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and the two discussed steps to restart bilateral talks with Azerbaijan, the U.S. State Department said.

“The Secretary expressed deep concern for the worsening humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting from the blockage of the Lachin corridor,” the State Department said in a statement.

Tensions have spiraled between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the blockade of the only road giving direct access to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region from Armenia in recent weeks.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington)