Armenian members of the Peace Bridge initiative have responded to statements made in Artsakh by Azerbaijani presidential adviser Hikmet Hajiyev, saying such developments deepen mistrust and create additional space for those who argue that dialogue is meaningless.
They called on all actors involved in the peace process to refrain from rhetoric and actions that could be perceived as destructive.
“The Armenian members of the Peace Bridge initiative express concern over recent developments related to the presentation of Armenian cultural heritage during diplomats’ visit to the medieval Gandzasar Monastery complex and its adjacent museum.
“At a time when significant progress has already been recorded in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process and both societies are expected to continue transitioning toward a new culture of relations after decades of conflict, public rhetoric and actions are of critical importance.
“Recent developments deepen mistrust and create additional space for those who argue that dialogue is meaningless and efforts to achieve peace are futile. Building peace requires difficult and sincere conversation, attention to each other’s concerns, and a deliberate effort to avoid actions that could reopen wounds or intensify hostile attitudes.
“We therefore call on all actors involved in the peace process to act in accordance with the responsibility of this moment and refrain from rhetoric and actions that could be perceived as destructive,” said the statement, signed by Areg Kochinyan, Naira Sultanyan, Boris Navasardyan, Narek Minasyan and Samvel Meliksetyan.
Hajiyev took diplomats accredited in Azerbaijan to Gandzasar and Dadivank, presenting them as part of the Christian heritage of “ancient Caucasian Albania.”
Sergey Shahverdyan, president of the Artsakh Tourism and Culture Development Agency NGO, sent an open letter to diplomatic representatives operating in Armenia, saying foreign ambassadors who visited Stepanakert and were photographed in the so-called “Victory Park” should not become part of Azerbaijan’s political and propaganda narrative in which the consequences of the Armenian population’s displacement are presented as “victory” and “liberation.”
