U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a phone conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on January 23, emphasizing the importance of U.S.-Turkey relations.

Rubio highlighted Turkey's important role within NATO and its contribution to advancing shared regional goals, according to the State Department website.

The discussion also addressed the urgent need to establish a stable and dignified peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Rubio reaffirmed the importance of reducing tensions in the Caucasus region to promote stability and cooperation.

The Secretary also stressed the necessity of an inclusive transitional process in Syria, underscoring the need for measures to prevent Syria from becoming a hub for international terrorism.

Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that Armenia must engage in dialogue with the so-called "Western Azerbaijan" community, a term Azerbaijan uses to refer to almost the entire territory of Armenia, including Yerevan.

Aliyev noted that Yerevan and Baku have yet to agree on two points in the peace treaty: renouncing mutual lawsuits in international courts and prohibiting third-party forces on the border. He also asserted that Armenia must take two additional steps before signing the treaty: amending its Constitution and agreeing to the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group.