Category: News

Armenpress: Armenian FM, EU Commissioner discuss Armenia–EU cooperation, secur

Emil Lazarian
Politics21:31, 14 April 2026
Read the article in: English

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with the European Commissioner for Defence and Space in Brussels on April 14, the foreign ministry said in a readout.

The sides noted with satisfaction the active expansion of the Armenia–EU partnership.

They exchanged views on prospects for cooperation in the security and defence sector. Both parties highlighted Armenia’s significant progress in implementing democratic reforms, as well as the adoption of the Armenia–EU Strategic Partnership Agenda.

The sides also discussed upcoming high-level events to be held in Yerevan in May, including the agenda of the Armenia–EU summit.

Mirzoyan and the EU Commissioner further exchanged views on regional developments. The Armenian Foreign Minister presented efforts aimed at further institutionalizing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Read the article in: English

Published by Armenpress, original at 
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Verelq: An entire government against an 18-year-old

Chalian Meline

Late yesterday evening, 18-year-old Davit Minasyan was transferred from Nair Medical Center to the Correctional Facility. This was reported by the lawyer of the youth, Lusine Martirosyan.


“An entire state resource was focused on just an 18-year-old young man, and what is being done to Davit now is not the same as what is being done to our compatriots in Baku prison…”, the lawyer wrote.


To remind, Davit was arrested in the incident of St. Anna church. Apart from the fact that Nikol Pashinyan’s bodyguard hit him, he received a concussion and other injuries, he also has other health problems. However, the court did not take him to house arrest and the teenager was taken to the medical center from the first day.

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Ara Abrahamyan will be replaced

Emma Jilavian

“Hraparak” daily writes:


According to some information, the Russian circles are considering the change of Ara Abrahamyan, the president of the Union of Armenians of Russia.


Ara Abrahamyan has been the president of this public organization since 2000. In 2003, he was elected the president of the international union of Armenian non-governmental organizations “World Armenian Congress”, created the Russia-Argentina Council of Businessmen and is currently its co-chairman from the Russian side.


He is also the co-chairman of the Franco-Russian Association. He was re-elected several times as the chairman of the NGO, but there are reports that now the Russian authorities are dissatisfied with him and are discussing candidates for his replacement.


Russian sources say that the most likely is the candidacy of Viktor Soghomonyan, the former press secretary of the second president, the former official of the office. The versions of Kamo Avagumyan and Karen Shahnazarov are also discussed.


However, Kamo Avagumyan, the owner of “Avalon” company and the representative of “Mercedes” in Russia, is more engaged in business, and community issues may be subordinated, and Shahnazarov is more interested in Russian interests than in Armenian ones.

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Armenia before the election. It is not the Russian Federation that forces us to take sides, but the West

Khondkarian Raffi

Since the West fails to deceive Russia and steal its victory, in order to maintain the hegemony of the United States, there is no need to talk about peace anymore, there is no need for a Nobel Prize anymore, there is no need for Orbán anymore.

Now it is necessary for Hungary to stop playing on two strings and stand by the collective West and prepare for war against Russia.

We note that Hungary also failed in the policy of playing on two strings, because the collective West does not allow any state to play on two strings in such a tense geopolitical situation. For the West, now you are either its ally, you are its supporter and you are preparing to go to war against Russia, or you are its enemy, there is simply no other way.

We live in such times when each state should be able to position itself correctly in such a geopolitical struggle, understanding its own state interests, and the West will not allow it to play on two strings, and those states that were wrongly positioned will pay a very high price for their political miscalculations.

Now Armenia is also facing a choice, and it is not Russia that is forcing Armenia to take sides, but the West is imposing such steps and actions on Armenia, as a result of which Russia is forced to present a political demand to Armenia in order to understand whether Armenia is now its ally or whether it is joining the camp of its enemies.

Dear people, actually the situation is quite difficult, and it is time for us to realize that the only ally, friend is Russia, and we will not get anywhere good by playing on two strings. Playing on two strings, the West will use Armenia for its geopolitical purposes and leave us alone with our very difficult problems. It is time to stand by our state interests, that is, by the side of the Russian Federation.

This is dictated by the state interest of Armenia, and we are obliged to realize this.

Mher Avetisyan
Chairman of the Russian-Armenian Business Council, Observer Council, founder of the “Together” people’s movement




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Book: Aram Mrjoian on Navigating Armenian History in His Debut Novel ‘Waterlin

Arbi Tashjian
Hour, Detroit
April 14 2026
In his debut novel that ’Esquire’ named one of the best books of 2025, a local Armenian American author grapples with questions of authenticity, identity, and who gets to tell a story.
By

 Natalia Holtzman

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April 14, 2026



“I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to write a piece of historical fiction,” says Aram Mrjoian, a creative writing lecturer at the University of Michigan and the author of a critically acclaimed book published last summer.

Waterline, Mrjoian’s debut novel, centers on an Armenian American family based in Grosse Ile. The story is largely set in 2018, but the early-20th-century Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Empire casts a deep shadow over both the Kurkjian family and the novel as a whole.

“I didn’t want to engage in recreating the trauma of the genocide,” Mrjoian says, “but I did want to think about how it influences [an] Armenian American family living today.”

The novel follows a multigenerational family whose patriarch, Gregor, survived one of the few successful sites of resistance to the genocide at Musa Dagh. More than a century later, one of Gregor’s great-granddaughters swims out into Lake Michigan — much farther than she can possibly swim back from. Her death prompts her parents, aunt and uncle, and cousins to reflect not only on their family history but on their wider cultural history — and, more pointedly, on how each of them has been shaped by those histories and Gregor’s storytelling.

Mrjoian grew up in an Armenian American family in southeast Michigan. Though he says the book is not autobiographical, he worried, especially early in his writing career, that drawing on his background might be considered a “manipulation” of sorts — a way of “trying to get readers to feel a certain way about something that maybe I’m taking advantage of.”

He says he struggled with the question, “Am I really the right person to be talking about this? Or am I Armenian enough?”

Mrjoian grew up immersed in “certain parts” of Armenian culture but doesn’t speak the language or attend the church. “It’s my name,” he says, “and it’s some of the food I eat and certainly my cultural touchstones.”

As he earned his MFA and PhD, Mrjoian immersed himself in the work of other Armenian American writers; in the end, he tried to write from his own “very specific point of view,” one that is often “on the edge or the fringe of that community.”

Since the book was published last June, Mrjoian says he’s received a few emails from “people in the Armenian community [who] have been like, ‘The Armenians in this book don’t look like my community — I can’t believe they’re drinking; I can’t believe there’s adultery.’”

Growing up, though, “that’s the experience I had,” Mrjoian says.

He wanted to write “a story about Armenians that wasn’t just that [the genocide], that was not just this reminder of what happened to us more than 100 years ago. Honestly,” Mrjoian adds, “it was hard at times because there is commercial pressure to [provide historical context].”

At a time when most readers can easily search for historical information on their own time, he was struck by the following question: “What does it mean to be obligated to explain a historical atrocity?”

Ultimately, Mrjoian decided that he was neither obligated nor compelled to do anything but tell the story he’d set out to tell — and that’s what he did in Waterline.

This story originally appeared in the April 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition

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Armenia: Where ancient history meets modern adventure

Christine Harutyunian
FOX 11 Los Angeles
April 14 2026
By Araksya Karapetyan and Paul Chaderjian


The Brief

    • Lonely Planet has named Armenia a top destination, highlighting its unique blend of ancient history, rugged landscapes, and modern affordability.
    • Former tourism chief Sisian Boghossian describes the country as a rare find where travelers can explore world-class winemaking regions and mountain solitude without the crowds of the typical European circuit.
    • The capital city of Yerevan is spotlighted as one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, offering a lively mix of Soviet-era architecture, active cafe culture, and deep-rooted hospitality.

YEREVAN, ARMENIA – Armenia is drawing new global attention as Lonely Planet spotlights the country, giving travelers a fresh reason to consider a destination that pairs ancient history, mountain adventure, affordability, and a reputation for warm hospitality.

Now the country has a bigger spotlight. 

Lonely Planet’s Armenia guide highlights the country’s monasteries, rugged landscapes, and rising appeal, while Armenia’s official tourism site is pitching the country as a place where deep history, adventure, and everyday hospitality meet. For travelers looking beyond the usual European circuit, Armenia has become a serious contender. 

The case for Armenia starts with a simple truth. 

It offers experiences that feel increasingly rare. You can walk through an old capital city in the morning, drink wine in one of the world’s oldest wine-making regions by afternoon and end the day looking out over mountains with barely another tourist in sight. 

Former Armenia tourism chief Sisian Boghossian sums up the country in a few plain words: “Armenia is honestly a hidden gem.”

That line lands because it feels true.

Start in Yerevan, a capital that carries its age lightly. Armenia’s official tourism site describes it as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Lonely Planet’s coverage points visitors toward a city that mixes history, Soviet era architecture, lively squares, wine bars, and cafés that keep the streets active deep into the evening. It is old, but it does not feel frozen. It feels lived in. 

Boghossian captures that energy in human terms. “Every few steps, there’s a new restaurant, there is a new cafe,” she said. “And there’s so much life with so many people in the streets enjoying themselves.”

That mix matters. 

The 2,808-year-old Yerevan does not ask visitors to choose between atmosphere and accessibility. It offers both. The city center is walkable. English appears widely enough in menus and visitor settings to ease the learning curve for many first-time travelers. 

Dig deeper:

Then there is the history.

Armenia’s tourism materials proudly note that Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion. The result still stands across the landscape in stone. Geghard Monastery rises from rock and cliffs. Tatev Monastery sits above the Vorotan Gorge with the kind of dramatic setting that makes photographs feel almost inadequate. 

Boghossian gives the stronger image. “You could be honestly hiking somewhere quite random and randomly come upon a monastery deep in the forest,” she says. 

That sentence explains part of Armenia’s power. History here does not always arrive with ticket lines and velvet ropes. Sometimes it appears around a bend in the trail.

That trail matters too.

For travelers drawn to nature, Armenia offers a quieter kind of reward. Boghossian points to the work of Hike Armenia, which has helped map and promote routes across the country. 

Tour guides also direct visitors to Dilijan, mountain regions, and forested paths that feel strikingly uncrowded compared with better known hiking destinations across Europe. 

Boghossian puts it this way: “Because it’s not a crowded place, you can be really the only one hiking on a beautiful mountaintop and ending up somewhere with a beautiful view.” 

That is not a small selling point. In an era when travel often means standing in line to see what everyone else already posted, solitude itself becomes part of the luxury.

More on Armenia’s winemaking

Armenia also carries an advantage that reaches beyond scenery. It has a story to tell about wine.

The official tourism site points visitors to the Areni 1 cave complex, promoted as the site of the world’s oldest known winery, dating back more than 6,100 years. That history now feeds a present-day revival. Armenia’s wine identity no longer lives only in archaeology. It lives in glasses, vineyards, tasting rooms, and a growing confidence about what the country produces now. 

Boghossian describes it as “a little bit of a wine renaissance.” She says Armenia was “basically the birthplace of winemaking,” and that after a long pause in prominence, the country’s modern wine scene has started to “really take off.” 

In a country like Armenia, that kind of revival feels fitting. The old and the new do not compete. They reinforce each other.

The same pattern appears in its marquee attractions. A visitor can take in Garni Temple, one of the country’s most important pre Christian sites, then move on to monasteries, wine country, or the southern highlands. 

Armenia rewards movement. It asks travelers to connect eras instead of sorting them into separate boxes. 

For many visitors, the south delivers the strongest cinematic moment. The Wings of Tatev cable car carries passengers above a dramatic gorge on the way to Tatev Monastery. Armenia’s official tourism site presents it as the world’s longest reversible aerial tramway, and the experience is built for travelers who want both beauty and story in the same frame. 

Then come the practical questions every traveler asks.

Is is affordable to travel to Armenia?

Is it safe. Is it affordable. Is it easy.

Boghossian argues yes on all three. “As a woman, it’s very important to be able to travel by myself if I want to go somewhere and not worry about safety,” she says. “Armenia definitely offers that.” 

Armenia’s official tourism site recently made a similar pitch in a feature aimed at solo travelers, describing Armenia as a welcoming destination with low crime rates and a sense of ease for women traveling alone. 

The price point strengthens the argument. 

Boghossian says a coffee may run about three dollars, a glass of wine about five, and a meal around $15 depending on where and how you dine. That kind of affordability does not just make a trip cheaper. It changes the mood of travel. Visitors can linger. They can say yes more often. They can experience a place instead of calculating the expense at every stop.

There is also timing. Peak travel season from is May through October. That’s when the weather favors movement and the calendar fills with festivals, including wine, food, and outdoor events. The official itinerary pages and travel articles suggest a country that opens-up even more fully in warmer months, especially for those who want a mix of cities, villages, trails, and cultural gatherings. 

Still, the strongest reason to go may have less to do with rankings, lists, or even scenery.

Boghossian says many visitors leave Armenia with the feeling that it feels like home. “Just that warmth, I think, and the hospitality really speaks to them and gives them a feeling of family,” she says. That may be the part of Armenia no guide can fully package. You can link to a monastery. You can map a hiking route. You can book a table or a cable car. But the thing people often remember most is harder to list. It is the welcome.

That is where Armenia seems to separate itself. It offers old churches, mountain trails, wine, and city life. Other countries can claim parts of that. Armenia’s edge may come from the way those elements meet in a place that still feels personal.

For travelers ready to make a plan, the official portal at Armenia Travel offers itineraries, destination guides, and practical information. The country has not exactly been hidden. But for many travelers, it still feels undiscovered. And that may be the sweet spot. 

https://www.foxla.com/news/armenia-where-ancient-history-meets-modern-adventure

Also watch videos at

https://www.foxla.com/video/fmc-mprkehp5pjf9n84r

https://www.foxla.com/video/fmc-pl04qlcv80qdmtfz

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Resilience and Reconstruction in Practice

Babken Chilingarian
Psychology Today
April 13 2026
Resilience

Practical steps to support identity and belonging amid displacement.

Posted April 13, 2026 

Key points

  • A comprehensive, long-term approach is needed when forced displacement occurs.
  • Resilience thrives on maintaining identity continuity amid forced displacement challenges.
  • Meaningful work boosts displaced individuals’ resilience through contribution and recognition.
Source: Fund for Armenian Relief

This post is the final installment in a four-part series based on a 2023 qualitative study conducted by The Fund for Armenians Relief’s (FAR) Child Protection Center (CPC) to explore the psychological and social dynamics of forced displacement, using Armenia’s integration of over 115,000 displaced persons from Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) as a contemporary case study.

Continuity as Psychological Protection

At the cultural level, resilience depends on the continuity of identity. For many Artsakh Armenians, maintaining symbolic ties to their homeland is not resistance to change but protection against erasure.

“Why should we give up passports and lose the last connection to our homeland?” one participant asked .Nadav Shelef1 might call this “ethnoterritorial identity continuity” — an aspiration to maintain a territorial connection even in the case of its physical loss:

“Since homelands are a nationalist form of territoriality, their physical contours have to be clearly articulated and continually demarcated. As a result, nationalists exert tremendous energy to maintain, if sometimes banally, the territorial boundaries of the homeland.”

For many participants, protesting against the change to their passports is a form of resistance to the injustice committed against them. A passport is a symbol of “Homeland” for displaced people. As Dawn Chatty2 suggests, “’Home’ and ‘homeland’ are ‘one of the most powerful unifying symbols for the dispossessed.'”

Findings suggest that this continuity serves as an anchor. Instead of hindering integration, it provides stability that enables adaptation. Resilience here is built by:

  • Allowing dual belonging
  • Validating attachment to lost places
  • Avoiding premature identity replacement

Clinical work that pushes rapid identity reformation risks invalidating grief and destabilizing already fragile coherence.

Work, Contribution, and the Restoration of Worth

Meaningful contribution emerges as one of the strongest predictors of long-term resilience. Displaced Artsakh Armenians described working in public service, construction, utilities, education, and security roles. One participant summarized it simply: “We serve where needed—police, military, maintenance crews.”

This aligns with Sennett’s (2003)3 framework of mutual respect, in which dignity arises from recognized competence rather than sympathy. Resilience through work is built by:

  • Opportunities for visible contribution
  • Recognition of skill rather than need
  • Shifting narratives from dependency to participation

Institutional capacity to organize an effective response directly determines whether displaced persons are seen and heard. The limited number of helping professionals in both community and state services, the lack of proactive engagement, and inconsistent levels of professional competence and preparedness all undermine both the right to be heard and the fulfillment of needs.

The spectrum of available support—ranging from basic time allocation to therapeutic intervention—is directly contingent on achieving an adequate ratio of helping professionals to displaced persons.

Building Resilience in Practice

This research points to clear, actionable steps for clinicians and social-work professionals working with displaced communities around the world:

  • Create roles, not just services. Teaching, mentoring, and leadership restore presence and recognition.
  • Support dual belonging. Integration is strengthened when past and present identities coexist.
  • Prioritize institutional visibility. Listening, presence, and response matter as much as policy outcomes.
  • Shift from individual to environmental modes. Symptoms often reflect environmental strain rather than personal pathology.

Survival, Renewal, and Resilience

Efforts to preserve identity are both natural and necessary. Focus group participants described a recent large-scale event showcasing Artsakh culture—song and dance, performers, and artists presenting their work reimagined for life in Armenia. Though permeated with tears and suffering and carrying simultaneous feelings of longing and joy, the event conveyed no explicit message yet brought profound relief to all who attended. It served as an _expression_ of collective mourning, an assertion of continued existence—fittingly titled, “We Exist.”

For participants, however, affirming identity does not mean refusing the present. As one person explained: “I try to live in the present, not by rejecting the past, but by keeping it alive—in my dreams, my thoughts, my stories, and my relationships. This is what allows me to feel grounded and true to myself.”

What emerges from Armenia is not merely adaptation but social innovation under pressure. Displacement forces both newcomers and host communities to renegotiate identity, responsibility, and belonging in real time.

One of Us

The integration of Artsakh Armenians into Armenian society presents not only humanitarian challenges but also sociopolitical and economic challenges that require comprehensive, long-term approaches. The adaptability of the host society’s institutional and social structures and the resilience potential of Artsakh Armenians together can create what has been termed “social reconfiguration” — a reorganization of society that offers new opportunities for social and economic development where the main challenge is transformed into an opportunity for collective development and empowerment.

This process of reforming the collective identity of Armenians, recognizing the multi-level nature of national identity (David & Bar-Tal, 2009)4, can lead to a more inclusive and resilient national conception in which the Artsakh experience is incorporated into the broader structure of national history and identity.

For practitioners working in contexts of global displacement, be it in Ukraine, Sudan, or Gaza, the lesson is clear: Resilience is not located solely in individuals. The ultimate answer to the question “One of us or…?” is cultivated through systems, relationships, and meaning over time. And it is only through the often indelicate acceptance of the tension arising from humanitarian, sociopolitical, and economic reconfiguration that both host communities and displaced persons find true, lasting integration.

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Pashinyan Signals ‘Constructive Transformation’ in Armenia–Russia Ties

Tatoyan Vazgen
Commonspace.eu
April 14 2026

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said relations with Russia are undergoing a “constructive transformation,” following his 1 April meeting with President Vladimir Putin. Speaking at a weekly briefing on 2 April, he said he viewed the process “positively” and stressed that Armenia would “not deviate from the logic of friendly dialogue,” with another meeting expected later in June.

Despite this optimistic tone, the talks in Moscow did not produce agreements on several key issues. One of the main points of disagreement remains Armenia’s railway network, which has been operated by Russia under a concession agreement since 2008. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Overchuk said on 2 April that there were “no objective reasons” to transfer control, while Armenian officials argue the current system limits the country’s role in regional transport. Pashinyan has suggested that a third country, such as Kazakhstan, could potentially take over management, but said Armenia would not act “behind Russia’s back or against Russia.”

Energy policy has also emerged as a point of tension. Pashinyan said there was “no basis” for any Russian increase in gas prices, pointing to long-term agreements, after Putin highlighted that Armenia pays significantly less than European countries. The issue led to warnings that Armenia may, in response, leave Russian-led organisations like the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), though officials indicated such a step is unlikely.

Moscow reacted critically to such statements. On 8 April, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova compared the threats to “threatening a hedgehog,” and said she would not “seriously comment on the statements of emotional politicians,” adding that Armenia is responsible for ensuring its own energy security.

Former Armenian president Robert Kocharyan also weighed in on the “Big Politics” podcast. Kocharyan, considered by analysts as a pro-Russian figure, warned that distancing from Russia could disproportionally impact Armenia, as Armenia’s trade, remittances, and labour ties remain heavily dependent on Russia. He added that leaving the EAEU could lead to “economic collapse,” while Russia would “barely notice such a move.” Kocharyan further criticised what he described as an inconsistent foreign policy and cautioned against attempts to balance between Russia and the European Union. In his view, Armenia should refrain from choosing a side, balancing economic relations with its primary market, Russia, and benefiting from ties with the EU.


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Armenian Church Destroyed in Azerbaijan: The Diocese Denounces a “Cultural Gen

Ekmekjian Janet
Info Vaticana
April 14 2026

The Armenian church of San Santiago, in Stepanakert (Azerbaijan), has been completely destroyed, according to a statement from the Diocese of Artsaj published on April 12, 2026. As reported by Tribune Chrétienne, the destruction of the temple is attributed to the authorities of Azerbaijan, in the context following the total takeover of the territory in 2023.

The diocese, currently taking refuge in Armenia after the forced exodus of the Armenian population, has expressed its “profound sadness” for the loss of a place that for years was the center of the liturgical life of the local Christian community.

A central temple in sacramental life

The church of San Santiago was a spiritual reference point for thousands of faithful who gathered every Sunday for the liturgy and the reception of the Eucharist.

Its destruction means, in the words of the diocese, not only the disappearance of a building, but the elimination of a place where the sacramental life of a community that today finds itself dispersed after its forced departure from the territory was sustained.

Accusations of systematic destruction of Christian heritage

The statement frames this event within a broader series of attacks against Christian religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. The diocese denounces the destruction or profanation of other churches in recent years and speaks of a process carried out in a “systematic, deliberate, and state-level” manner.

In that sense, it qualifies the situation as a “cultural genocide,” considering that there is a will to eliminate all traces of the Armenian Christian presence in the region.

Exile and disappearance of a historical presence

Since September 2023, following the total recovery of the territory by Azerbaijan, the vast majority of the Armenian population has abandoned the area and taken refuge in Armenia.

This displacement has put an end to a Christian presence that dates back centuries. Churches, monasteries, and cemeteries were not only places of worship, but also visible signs of an identity deeply rooted in the history of the Caucasus.

Call in the face of lack of international reaction

The diocese also denounces the lack of response from international organizations, which it accuses of remaining indifferent to the destruction of religious heritage.

According to its leaders, the progressive disappearance of these temples affects not only the Armenian people, but the entire Christian heritage. The loss of these places also raises questions about the protection of religious sites in conflict contexts and about the effective respect for religious freedom.

Deprived of their churches, Armenian faithful today live in exile, with added difficulties for the transmission of the faith, closely linked in their tradition to consecrated places.

The diocese has reiterated its intention to continue demanding justice and has called on the international community to intervene to stop what it considers a continued destruction of the Christian legacy in the region.

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‘On security, we are in the same boat’: Armenian experts on visit to Azerbaija

Emil Lazarian
JAM News
April 14 2026
  • JAMnews
  • Yerevan

Nineteen representatives of Armenian civil society have returned from the Azerbaijani city of Gabala, where they held another meeting with Azerbaijani counterparts as part of the Peace Bridge initiative. After returning from Azerbaijan, they met with journalists. They outlined what they discussed and what results they achieved.

Areg Kochinyan, a political analyst and head of the Armenian Council analytical centre, coordinates the Armenian side of the initiative. He said the very fact that Armenian and Azerbaijani experts have now met four times marks a significant achievement. He also noted that participants want to continue working together.

“These visits help advance the peace agenda and foster peace between the societies of Armenia and Azerbaijan. To some extent, they also support the peace agenda promoted by the authorities of both countries,” Kochinyan said.

He noted that Azerbaijani colleagues showed interest in the outcome of Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary elections in June.

However, Kochinyan stressed that their questions remained appropriate. He said they recognised that the issue is Armenia’s internal matter and did not try to interfere or influence it in any way, even though “the future of the peace process largely depends on this factor”.

The main points raised during the press conference involved five Armenian co-founders of the initiative. The report also includes impressions from the JAMnews editor in Armenia who joined the trip.

  • ‘Changing Armenia’s constitution is our decision, not others’,’ Pashinyan says in briefing
  • Yerevan discusses the potential for linking energy systems of Armenia and Azerbaijan
  • ‘First economic deal since independence’: Azerbaijani petrol arrives in Armenia

The fourth meeting of the Peace Bridge initiative took place on 10–12 April. Representatives of NGOs, media and analytical centres from both Armenia and Azerbaijan took part. This marked the second visit of Armenian experts to Azerbaijan. The first visit involved five founding members, while the second brought together an expanded group of 19 experts.

Participants alternate the round tables between Armenia and Azerbaijan. During the last two meetings, in both countries, participants did not travel by air. They crossed the interstate land border at the Tavush–Gazakh section instead. This part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has already been delimited and demarcated. Participants completed all required border and passport procedures.

After the meeting in Gabala, organisers said it took place in an “atmosphere of constructive dialogue and frank discussions”.

Participants in Gabala also met Hikmet Hajiyev, head of the foreign policy department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan. They discussed regional security, the progress of the peace process and the role of civil society in normalising relations between the two countries.

“There are topics we are not yet ready to discuss”

During a press conference in Yerevan, participants in the Peace Bridge initiative told journalists that discussions in Gabala covered a wide range of issues. They addressed Armenian-Azerbaijani relations in detail. Topics included the peace treaty, the unblocking of communications and potential cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

They told journalists that no topics are formally off-limits. However, they said both sides are not yet ready to discuss some issues in depth.

“Both sides are not yet able to discuss the past. They are not ready. They have not healed their wounds or overcome the pain. This initiative is about the moment when we will be able to address even these very painful issues,” said Naira Sultanyan, director of the Democracy Development Foundation.

Among the topics discussed, political analyst Areg Kochinyan highlighted the potential for cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan in hydrocarbons and electricity.

He also said that experts involved in the initiative are developing ideas and proposals to strengthen the peace process. One of these initiatives has already started. It involves a series of joint programmes by the Yerevan and Baku press clubs.

According to Boris Navasardyan, honorary president of the Yerevan Press Club, both Azerbaijani partners and local media show strong interest in the initiative:

“The current atmosphere and the intensity of contacts give grounds for optimism. Once the official Armenian-Azerbaijani format becomes more active, more specific initiatives will follow. These will involve concrete organisations and individuals participating in the 20+20 format of the Peace Bridge initiative. We will see progress in very specific thematic areas.”

Participants in the Peace Bridge initiative also do not rule out the creation of new formats. In particular, they are considering work in separate clusters. This could later include cooperation between business representatives, environmental experts, economists and specialists from other fields in both countries.

“Humanitarian issues should not be politicised”

Naira Sultanyan said Armenian and Azerbaijani partners jointly shape the discussion agenda, without interference from the authorities:

“We mainly focus on three issues. These are the problems that concern us, the obstacles to the peace process, and the opportunities we do not want to miss.”

She stressed that Armenian participants once again raised the issue of detainees held in Azerbaijan, as well as missing persons:

“We had an open and frank discussion. We once again underlined that the issue of detainees does not fit into the logic of the peace process. The process has moved much further ahead. These issues must be resolved to guarantee further progress in the peace process.”

She also said participants are trying to understand how they can help build trust between the sides. The aim is to create an environment where humanitarian issues become “less toxic, are not politicised and are not used as instruments of pressure.”

“Armenia and Azerbaijan face shared challenges”

Representatives of Armenian and Azerbaijani civil society also discussed the regional situation. Political analyst Narek Minasyan said both sides agree on one point. The war in Ukraine on the one hand, and developments around Iran on the other, create serious challenges for the South Caucasus. He described the region as “now effectively an island of stability and peace”.

Participants in the initiative believe it is in the interests of both Yerevan and Baku to prevent further escalation. They want to avoid any expansion of conflict and seek a resolution as soon as possible:

“The Azerbaijani side delivered a fairly clear message on this. In their view, Armenia and Azerbaijan are in the same boat when it comes to security. The regional challenges we face are shared. We therefore need to assess the current situation and try to strengthen it.”

He also stressed that discussions led experts to a shared conclusion. The current level of relations between the two countries has created a certain “security immunity”. Without it, there would be a “significant risk of interference by third countries and an expansion of the geography of the conflict in the region.”

“There are concerns about the implementation of the TRIPP programme”

Experts also discussed how regional developments could affect the implementation of the TRIPP project.

“Trump route for international peace and prosperity” (TRIPP) is a proposed road that will connect Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan through Armenian territory.

For several years, Yerevan and Baku failed to reach an agreement on this issue. Azerbaijan demanded a route it referred to as the “Zangezur corridor”. Armenian authorities said they were ready to unblock all transport links. However, they rejected the term “corridor”, as it implies a loss of control and, therefore, sovereignty over the territory.

Only on 8 August, in Washington, did the sides reach an agreement. They agreed that the road would remain under Armenia’s sovereign control. The United States would take part in the unblocking process as a business partner. As a result, the project became known as the “Trump route”, named after the mediator.

“We are trying to understand what solutions are possible if events drag on, if a war in Iran continues, or if TRIPP is suddenly seen as infrastructure that could come under attack during a conflict,” said another participant in the initiative, political analyst Samvel Meliksetyan.

He said both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides share these concerns. He stressed that the connection with Nakhchivan remains a key issue for Baku:

“The possibility of unblocking depends on efforts from the Armenian side as well. We have become used to closed borders. We have not developed as a transit country. When you are not a transit country, you do not think about road quality in terms of competitiveness.”

Meliksetyan said Armenia needs to develop high-quality transport links and technical solutions to remain competitive. He gave an example from his trip to Gabala. Armenian experts travelled on the Ganja–Gabala train, which runs at around 100 km/h. Train speeds on Armenian railways are significantly lower.

“This is not about forgetting the past”

Areg Kochinyan stressed that representatives of state institutions in both Armenia and Azerbaijan told participants during meetings that peace between the two countries has already been established. At the same time, he rejected accusations that the initiative seeks to erase the tragedies experienced by the two societies:

“The initiative is not about forgetting the past, or changing, adjusting or editing it. It aims to build new narratives and new opportunities alongside existing narratives, history and reality.”

The political analyst said no one can guarantee the success of the initiative or of the peace process as a whole. However, he added that “there will never be peace” without sustained efforts in this direction:

“In my view, even the signing of a peace agreement is not the end point of peace, but the starting point. From that moment, the real process of building peace between societies and shaping genuine peace will begin.”

“An insider’s perspective”

Naira Martikyan, JAMnews editor in Armenia, also took part in the round table. She shared her impressions with colleagues from the Armenian editorial team:

“I will say straight away that my impressions are positive and encouraging. I returned with greater confidence that peace has been established. During the sessions and informal conversations with colleagues, I saw that there is a genuine willingness for peace in Azerbaijan. This was also confirmed by Hikmet Hajiyev, head of the foreign policy department of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan:

‘Peace has been established. Azerbaijan fully supports the peace agenda,’ he said.

Moreover, he asked us to convey to our societies that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been resolved.

We are in a unique situation. A war is taking place right next to us, in Iran. At the same time, two neighbouring countries with a long history of conflict are discussing how to build cooperation across a wide range of areas.

After two meetings with Azerbaijani colleagues, I believe this direct and open dialogue benefits both sides. Experts from Armenia and Azerbaijan are putting forward interesting and even unexpected proposals. These ideas could change life in both countries and across the region.

Overall, this is a very positive process. What matters now is that it continues and reaches the stage where ideas turn into practical results.”

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