Hard work remains on reaching peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan

(Patria) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that hard work remains on reaching
a final agreement to end the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, after talks between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan hosted by Washington concluded on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Blinken, who posed for a photo with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at the end of the talks mediated by U.S. officials over three days, told reporters that some of the most difficult issues remained unresolved, without providing details on what they were.

Blinken said progress was made in the talks, including "an agreement on some additional articles, as well as deepening understanding of positions on other open issues, as well as recognition that hard work remains on trying to reach a final agreement."

Blinken said the talks were conducted with "candor, openness and directness" and expressed hope for further progress at a meeting of the leaders of the two countries and the European Union expected in the coming weeks.

The two foreign ministers did not speak to the media.