Armenian pundit: Conditions in place for stronger South Caucasus integration

Civil society experts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia have a wide range of topics to address within a trilateral framework, Armenian-side coordinator of the Peace Bridge initiative and president of the Armenian Council Areg Kochinyan said during a press conference following a meeting of civil society representatives from Azerbaijan and Armenia held in Gabala. 

"In the past year, a meeting of deputy foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia took place in Tbilisi. At the expert level, we took that meeting as a basis, as we have long said that such a trilateral format is necessary. There are many topics for discussion - environment, foreign policy, risks, transport and logistics, economy, and so on," he noted, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Kochinyan said that all the prerequisites for establishing a regional cooperation format are now in place. He also highlighted that the current geopolitical climate supports deeper regional integration in the South Caucasus.

The role of the media in promoting dialogue between Baku and Yerevan was also emphasised during the event.

Kamala Mammadova, editor-in-chief of the 1News.az online portal, speaking at the press conference dedicated to the Peace Bridge initiative, noted that media was one of the central topics of the panel discussions.

"Of course, the role of the media is extremely significant in shaping dialogue and promoting a constructive peace agenda. Since August, after the Washington Summit, this trend has become especially noticeable. With the launch of the Peace Bridge Initiative, the number of materials and interviews featuring Armenian experts in Azerbaijani media - and Azerbaijani experts in Armenian media - has significantly increased.

As colleagues noted, there has been a decrease in hate speech and language of hostility. And this is critically important. It is equally important for the media to convey to society an understanding of what peace is, as many still do not fully grasp its essence. We need to explain what benefits and positive changes a peace agreement will bring. We intend to continue working consistently in this direction," Mammadova emphasised.

By Sabina Mammadli