Armenian parliament speaker signals willingness to visit Azerbaijan

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has revealed that he recently declined an invitation from his Azerbaijani counterpart to attend a forum in Azerbaijan, citing commitments related to Armenia's ongoing election campaign.

Speaking during a parliamentary election debate broadcast on Public Television on June 1, Simonyan said he regretted being unable to participate in the event and indicated he would be willing to visit Azerbaijan in the future if the opportunity arose, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media. 

“I can reveal a secret: a forum was recently held in Azerbaijan, and my Azerbaijani counterpart invited me to visit Azerbaijan. But, sadly, due to the pre-election campaign, I declined to participate in the forum’s work,” Simonyan noted.

The Armenian parliament speaker said that political leaders have a responsibility to advance peace efforts and stressed the importance of dialogue between neighbouring countries.

By Sabina Mammadli