U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, at a meeting yesterday he hosted with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, called on the sides to meet again and return to the negotiation process.

Yesterday's meeting was the first direct talks between Armenian and Azerbaijani officials since last week's fighting along the two countries' border.

"Secretary Blinken conveyed condolences for the lives lost and emphasized the need to prevent further hostilities, underscoring the importance of returning to the peace process. They discussed next steps, and the Secretary encouraged the sides to meet again before the end of the month," reads a statement released by U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.