Blinken hosts Armenian, Azeri foreign ministers, urges end to hostilites -State Dept

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Armenian delegation including Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, and a delegation with Azerbaijan including Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in New York City, New York, U.S. September 19, 2022. Craig Ruttle/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need to prevent further hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan during a meeting in New York with the two countries' foreign ministers on Monday, a State Department spokesperson said.

Describing the meeting as the "first direct talks since recent fighting" between the two sides, spokesperson Ned Price said the leaders "discussed next steps, and (Blinken) encouraged the sides to meet again before the end of the month."