Armenian Civil Society Members Meet With Hajiyev in Baku

On November 21–22, representatives of Armenian civil society visited Azerbaijan within the framework of the “Bridge of Peace” initiative.

As part of the visit, members of the Initiative met with Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration. During the meeting, they discussed steps taken by Azerbaijan and Armenia following the Washington meeting toward strengthening the peace agenda. Hikmet Hajiyev answered the Initiative members’ questions.

Representatives from Armenia — Boris Navasardyan, President of the Yerevan Press Club; human rights defender Naira Sultanyan; political analysts Areg Kochinyan, Narek Minasyan, and Samvel Meliksetyan — met with Azerbaijani colleagues Farhad Mammadov, Rusif Huseynov, Kyamala Mammadova, Ramil Iskanderli, and Fuad Abdullayev.

“The meeting addressed the dynamics of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the role of civil society in fostering dialogue, and prospects for implementing joint projects. Current issues concerning the peace process that affect both Azerbaijani and Armenian societies were also discussed,” the Bridge of Peace initiative said in its statement.

Agreements were reached on intensifying cooperation in the media sector, establishing direct contacts between expert groups, and ensuring the ongoing involvement of civil societies in the peace process.

Both sides agreed to continue working contacts and to plan further visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan within the framework of the Bridge of Peace initiative.

At the end of October, Azerbaijani representatives had traveled to Yerevan and met with Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan and Armenian civil society members.