Representatives of civil society from Azerbaijan and Armenia have published a list of decisions and understandings reached during meetings held on November 21–22 in Baku as part of the “Bridge of Peace” initiative. The information was shared by Ramil Iskenderli, Chairman of the Board of the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan and a member of the initiative.
According to him, a group of Armenian civil society representatives — Arek Kochinyan, Boris Navasardyan, Naira Sultanyan, Narek Minasyan, and Samvel Meliksetyan — arrived in Baku. Together with their Azerbaijani counterparts — Farhad Mammadov, Rusif Huseynov, Kamala Mammadova, Fuad Abdullayev, and Iskenderli himself — they held two days of discussions.
Since the process had begun a month earlier in Yerevan, the sides agreed to establish the initiative under a single name — “Bridge of Peace.”
During the meetings, both sides exchanged views on the normalization of relations, the current situation, and prospects for the peace process. Particular attention was given to the role of civil society in maintaining dialogue and to future joint steps.
The discussions resulted in several concrete agreements:
— to intensify contacts in the media sphere;
— to establish direct communication between experts in various fields;
— to introduce mechanisms for informing civil society;
— to organize reciprocal visits within the peace initiative.
As Iskenderli noted, the practical outcomes of the meeting were its main achievement.
Representatives of the initiative also met with Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration. The conversation focused on steps to strengthen the peace agenda after the Washington meeting, and participants’ questions were addressed.
In addition to the official program, a cultural program was organized. The guests from Armenia visited the Botanical Garden, Icherisheher, the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Maiden Tower, the Seaside Boulevard, Nizami Street, the Puppet Theatre, and “Little Venice.” The next day they toured Ag Sheher and visited the Heydar Aliyev Center, viewing its permanent and temporary exhibitions.
According to Iskenderli, the cultural program generated great interest among the Armenian delegation and became an important part of the visit.
