20:20,

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, who is in the USA on a working visit, met with U.S. Secretary Mike Pompeo on October 23, during which the sides reaffirmed the necessity of observing the agreements on immediate ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone, as well as to continue the peace process in the sidelines of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs' format.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, the situation resulted by the Azerbaijani large-scale aggression was the focus of the discussions.

Minister Mnatsakanyan informed the U.S. State Secretary about the war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces during the military operations, which are manifested in the deliberate targeting of the civilian population and infrastructures of Artsakh, humiliating treatment towards civilians and prisoners of war, cases of beheadings and murder.

''State Secretary Pompeo offered condolences on the occasion of victims.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia emphasized that this aggression of the Azerbaijani side is taking place with the direct involvement of Turkey, which is expressed by the direct military-technical support by the latter with the deployment of armed terrorists in the region. According to Minister Mnatsakanyan, Azerbaijan's decision to become a zone of influence of Turkey and international terrorism – is a serious threat to regional security.

Minister Mnatsakanyan noted that the violation of the ceasefire agreements by Azerbaijan and the continuation of hostilities against the people of Artsakh once again demonstrate Azerbaijan's goal of resolving the issue by military means.

Both sides reaffirmed the need to implement the agreements reached on the immediate ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, as well as the need to continue the peace process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.