Simonyan: 19 Armenians Must Be Released for Genuine Reconciliation with Azerbaijan

At the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul, Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Alen Simonyan called the strengthening of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the context of the Washington Accords a "historic step." He emphasized that this process paves the way for trust, cooperation, and development, noting that Armenia remains committed to deepening dialogue and turning peace into real regional opportunities.

Simonyan highlighted the emergence of trade between the two countries as a symbolic and practical success, calling the recent import of Azerbaijani goods to Armenia a "peace dividend." He also expressed Yerevan's readiness to expand regional partnerships, including cooperation with Turkey, to ensure stability.

Nevertheless, the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament called for a solution to serious humanitarian issues, specifically the release of the 19 Armenians held in Azerbaijan. He stated that this is necessary for further strengthening trust and genuine reconciliation.

"To continue building trust and genuine reconciliation, the 19 Armenians held in Azerbaijan must be released and reunited with their families, and the fates of the missing must be clarified," the speaker emphasized.

Alen Simonyan also officially invited Turkey to become a full partner in "creating a canvas of peace" in the region. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, meeting with parliamentarians, noted that efforts to establish peace in the South Caucasus should serve as a model for the entire world and emphasized Ankara's support for steps toward a stable and prosperous future for the region.

"We welcome efforts to build a peaceful future where stability and prosperity reign in the South Caucasus, and we want this process to become a model for the entire world," Erdoğan stated.

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