Azerbaijan’s top official stresses commitment to peace in dialogue with Armenia Peace of Bridge

Azerbaijan's Assistant to the President, Hikmet Hajiyev, reaffirmed his country's commitment to peace during an open dialogue with civil society representatives from Armenia, held as part of the "Peace Bridge" initiative in Gabala.

He noted in a post on X that the meeting lasted for more than two hours, Caliber.Az reports. 

Today, in Gabala, Azerbaijan, we held an open dialogue with civil society representatives from Armenia within the framework of the Peace Bridge initiative. Our discussions lasted for more than two hours.

As in other spheres of bilateral relations between the two countries,… pic.twitter.com/dmT14LGHZ2

— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) April 11, 2026

Hajiyev stressed that confidence-building measures, particularly Track 2 diplomacy, must be bilateral in nature. He emphasised that Azerbaijan’s focus remains firmly on peace, noting that this commitment extends beyond mere declarations or agreements on paper.

“We remain fully committed to the Washington agenda. This commitment is not merely declarative or confined to paper; rather, concrete and pragmatic steps are being taken to strengthen the peace agenda. These include bilateral trade, transit shipments to Armenia via Azerbaijan, and people-to-people contacts, all of which reflect the concept of the economic dividends of peace,” the post reads. 

Hajiyev also highlighted the potential benefits of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, which aims to enhance Armenia’s role as a transit country, providing new opportunities for the region. He pointed out that the current global context, particularly developments in the Middle East, underscores the importance of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“At the same time, it was noted during the meeting that the presence of revanchist forces in Armenia’s domestic political landscape, along with their calls for war, risks dragging the region back into turbulence—similar to the late 1980s and early 1990s,” Hajiyev stated.

Despite these challenges, Hajiyev remained optimistic. 

“However, seeing that Armenian society itself aspires to peace gives us hope that those acting as spoilers will ultimately fail in their attempts to undermine the peace agenda,” he concluded.

By Sabina Mammadli