BAKU, April 28. /TASS/. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and expressed concerns over the recent announcement made by US President Joe Biden regarding the events that took place in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire, Aliyev’s press service said in a statement on Wednesday.

"During the conversation, President Aliyev touched upon the statement delivered by US President Joe Biden over the so-called Armenian Genocide, underlining that Turkey is a close friend and ally of Azerbaijan. Turkey plays a very important and positive role in the post-war time in the region, while Biden’s remarks were met with concern in the leadership and public," the statement reads.

Moreover, the sides exchanged opinions on the situation that unfolded after the "Armenian-Azerbaijani war", the press service noted. Aliyev also stressed the importance of unblocking communications in the region. Aliyev and Blinken also exchanged opinions on the future activities of the OSCE Minsk Group.

In a statement released on Saturday, US President Joe Biden recognized the events in the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century as "the Armenian genocide," despite the fact that his predecessors avoided using the term. The Turkish Foreign Ministry noted in response that Biden’s recognition of the genocide undermines ties between Washington and Ankara. Meanwhile, Aliyev described Biden’s statement as a "historic mistake.".