Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Talks Continue Amid Political Tensions
The Region in Brief
Armenia's Security Council secretary Armen Grigoryan met with Azerbaijani presidential adviser Hikmet Hajiyev in Dilijan to discuss peace negotiations and bilateral dialogue. Both sides issued identical statements emphasizing the importance of continued talks and civil society engagement.
The meeting prompted criticism from opposition figures, who questioned the symbolism of holding talks in Dilijan—a city developed by detained businessman Ruben Vardanyan—while Armenian detainees remain in Azerbaijani custody. Opposition leaders suggested the government was making concessions without addressing the status of imprisoned Armenians.
Meanwhile, Veronika Zonabend, wife of detained former Artsakh State Minister Vardanyan, announced plans to organize an international women's delegation to visit Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan. She noted that 19 Armenians remain imprisoned since the closure of the International Committee of the Red Cross office in Azerbaijan.