Armenian civil society delegate highlights meetings with Azerbaijani counterparts for advancing peace

A member of the Armenian civil society delegation participating in the “Peace Bridge” meetings with their Azerbaijani counterparts has said that the initiative’s goal is to develop new approaches and opportunities, alongside existing history and narratives, aimed at advancing the peace agenda.

Areg Kochinyan, the President of the Armenian Council Research Center and coordinator of the initiative, made the remarks at a press briefing in Yerevan after returning from the Azerbaijani city of Gabala, where the latest meeting was held on 10–12 April.

Kochinyan said that the fact that four meetings have taken place so far is already an important achievement. “I think the very fact that this is already the fourth meeting in this format, and that there is an agreement to continue the meetings, is a significant achievement,” he said.

According to Kochinyan, reciprocal visits, despite numerous difficulties and criticism, contribute to advancing the peace agenda. “We can name hundreds of reasons why these visits should not take place, but there is one main reason why they should - they contribute to establishing peace between the societies of Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he emphasized.

He noted that during the meetings, the parties also interacted with state officials, who assured them that the peace process is already taking place. “We are being assured that there is already peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is in the process of deepening and expanding,” he said.

At the same time, Kochinyan stressed that the initiative does not aim to revise or forget the past. “The ‘Peace Bridge’ initiative is not about forgetting or denying the past. It is about creating new narratives and new opportunities alongside existing narratives,” he said.

Kochinyan also emphasized that such initiatives cannot guarantee quick results, but their absence would eliminate the possibility of achieving peace.